The Attorney General (AG), Godfred Yeboah Dame is said to have written to the Speaker of Parliament asking that he declares the Assin North seat vacant in light of the recent Supreme Court judgment.
The court ordered Parliament to expunge James Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records after it found that he failed to renounce his Canadian citizenship at the time of filing his nomination forms to contest the polls.
This vacancy will require a by-election to take place.
Minority Leader Dr. Forson disclosed the letter from the AG during the vetting of the Chief Justice Nominee, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
“I received a letter from the office of the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice, the letter was addressed to the Right Honourable Speaker, Parliament of Ghana, Accra and I was in copied with the minority leader.”
“The third paragraph in the second page reads, the effect of this judgment of the Supreme Court is that the election of Mr. James Gyakye Quayson as a member of parliament of Assin North constituency is unconstitutional, null, void and of no legal effect.”
“The final order of the supreme court 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 stated.
On the vetting of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei Owusu says the committee’s report recommending her approval by majority decision will be subjected to a debate and vote when parliament resumes on June 6.
“Looking at the rules and the standing orders it was not practicable not to come to a conclusion so the decision was that it is taken that the minority are voting against her and therefore we will present a report presenting the decision of the committee as a majority decision.”
“Parliament will resume on June 6, the report is likely to be ready by then and it will be tabled, the decision usually is not in two parts, the verdict is that the member is recommended by a majority decision and the house will then go through the motions if the decision is not unanimous.”
“Consequence is that the report is debated and a decision is taken by a secret ballot,” he added.