Supreme Court stops Assin North MP from performing parliamentary duties
Legal team of Assin North MP to file review application
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, an aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, has highlighted the different rulings of various courts on injunction applications brought before it against a member of Parliament.
Citing a Wenchi High Court ruling that prevented NPP Techiman South MP-elect, Martin Adjei Korsah, from being injuncted, he suggested that the rules were applied differently against members of the opposition.
He detailed that the application was refused on grounds of denying Techiman South constituents a representation in Parliament, however, a similar injunction application brought against NDC MP for Assin North was 'hurriedly' granted even though it also denied the constituents representation in Parliament.
Mr. Ofosu observed that the same application for an injunction against the MP has also been granted by the Supreme Court thus barring him from performing parliamentary duties.
“Different strokes for different folks. The judge’s reason for rejecting this injunction application against the NPP’s Martin Adjei Korsah was that granting [the] same would leave the people of Techiman South without representation in Parliament during the pendency of the case.
“Meanwhile, a similar injunction application presented against the NDC’s James Quayeson was promptly granted by a Cape Coast High Court even as the substantive matter had not been dealt with and the people of Assin North would have been left without representation during the pendency of the case.
“Another one brought against him before the Supreme Court was granted this week even though it has left the people of Assin North without representation in Parliament as the substantive matter before the court is yet to be determined. So currently, Hon Quayeson remains an MP but cannot go to Parliament or perform his duties,” Felix Kwakye Ofosu wrote on Facebook.
Background
In July 2021, a High Court in Cape Coast nullified the election of the Assin North MP, after it found that he owed allegiance to Canada at the time of filing his nomination forms to contest the polls.
Michael Ankomah Nimfah, a resident of the constituency, filed the petition in court and later initiated another action at the Supreme Court to enforce the High Court's decision.
He urged the Court to prevent a further breach of the constitution by restraining the MP.
On Wednesday, April 13, the Supreme Court in a 5-2 decision ruled on the issue by barring the Assin North MP from performing any Parliamentary duty.
This is until the determination of the substantive case filed against him at the Supreme Court.
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Embattled Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson