Source: newsthemegh.com
According to reports, the Attorney General (AG), Godfred Yeboah Dame, requested in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament that the Assin North seat be declared vacant in view of the most recent Supreme Court decision.
After determining that James Gyakye Quayson had not renounced his Canadian citizenship when submitting his nomination papers to fight the election, the court issued an order requiring Parliament to remove his name from its records.
A by-election will be necessary to fill this vacancy.
As Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was being vetted for the position of Chief Justice, Minority Leader Dr. Forson revealed the letter from the AG.
“I received a letter from the Justice Minister’s office and the Attorney General’s office. The letter was addressed to the Right Honorable Speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament in Accra, and I was copied on it along with the minority leader.”
The election of Mr. James Gyakye Quayson as a member of parliament for the Assin North constituency is invalid, null, and void, and has no legal significance, according to the third paragraph of the second page.
“The supreme court’s final order for parliament to expunge the name of Mr. James Gyakye Quayson means that parliament is to completely remove any record relating to him as an MP and implies that a vacancy has occurred in relation to the Assin North Constituency,” the letter added.
On June 6, when parliament reconvenes, Joe Osei Owusu, chairman of the Appointments Committee, says a debate and vote will be held on the committee’s report recommending Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s acceptance by majority decision.
The decision was made that it is taken that the minority are voting against her and that we will provide a report portraying the judgment of the committee as a majority decision. “Looking at the rules and the standing orders it was not practicable not to come to a conclusion,” the statement reads.
Parliament will reconvene on June 6. The report will likely be completed by then and will be tabled. Typically, the decision is made by a majority vote, and if it is not unanimous, the house will proceed through the motions.
The report will now be discussed, and a decision will be made by secret ballot, he continued.