Afenyo Markin wins proposal to stop Assin North MP-elect from selecting Speaker of Parliament

National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Member of Parliament-Elect for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson who was spotted in Parliament despite a Cape Coast High Court granting an injunction against his swearing-in has been asked to leave the August House.

This comes after the Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markin had raised concerns over the presence.

Afenyo Markin, who is also the proposed Deputy Majority Leader for the New Patriotic Party’s Caucus in the House asked from the Clerk of Parliament if he had been served with any injunction document before the processes for the selection of a Speaker of the House commence.

The lawmaker maintained that it will be appropriate for the fate of the Assin North MP-elect to be determined before the Speaker is voted for.

Speaking on the matter, the Clerk of Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah superintending over proceedings admitted to receiving the notice of the injunction.

He therefore ruled that, he cannot recognize Mr. Quayson to duly participate in the selection of the Speaker for the 8th Parliament.

“I was duly served, and I am therefore unable to recognize James Quayson as MP-elect for the purposes of the election of Speaker. I will therefore accordingly proceed in the conduct of this election” he stated.

A petition was filed by one Michael Ankomah that the MP-elect still held on to his Canadian citizenship when he was filing to contest in the December polls.

According to the petitioner, Mr. Quayson owes allegiance to both Ghana and Canada which contravenes the provision of Article 94 (2) (a) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

He therefore urged the court to declare Mr. Quayson’s position as MP-elect null and void.

Mr. Quayson, the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) MP-elect, polled 17,498 while the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Madam Abena Durowaa Mensah had 14,793 in the December 7, 2020 election.

But giving his ruling on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, the presiding judge, Justice Kwasi Boakye said Mr. Quayson was “restrained from holding himself out as Member of Parliament-elect for the Assin North constituency within the Central Region of the Republic of Ghana and further presenting himself to be sworn in as Member of Parliament-elect as such until the final determination of the petition.”