Ousted NDC MP to retain his candidature if by-election is called
Supreme Court injuncts James Gyakye Quayson from holding himself as MP
The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, John Boadu, has stated that the party is ready to contest a by-election in Assin North Constituency.
The NPP scribe’s position means that the two major political parties have in a matter of weeks expressed their readiness to contest for the seat that has been made vacant by the ouster of an opposition lawmaker.
James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress was on April 13 injuncted by the Supreme Court from holding himself out as an MP till a case over his eligibility is determined by the same court.
In an interview on Joy News on April 26, 2022, Joh Boadu said the NPP was ever ready to wrestle the seat from the NDC.
“We have cases in court that can take three years, that can take four years, what is the essence of having somebody who is not legitimate rep of a constituency?
“So, for me, as for Assin North, we are ready for it (a by-election), that is why we are a political party, we are ready for it and we believe that when the decision is made (for a by-election) we are ready for it.
“It is a seat we have won severally, we’ve lost it twice as well, so it is still open,” he stressed.
NDC ready to contest
Boadu’s opposite number in the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia is also on record to have stated his party’s readiness for the vote.
He stressed on the April 7, 2022 edition of the Gumbe Show of TV XYZ that the embattled MP will win the election hands down and he will do so by extending the margin of victory he achieved in 2020.
“We are very ready for a by-election because, in a by-election, Quayson will not campaign, he will only talk to the people for a while. Quayson shall return to Parliament, in the worst-case scenario that the court’s ruling goes against him” he emphasized.
“He shall win hands down because the margin at which he won the seat in 2020 will increase,” General Mosquito told the host of the show Mugabe Maase.
According to him, it is only over his dead body that the NDC will not contest a by-election if one is called.
John Boadu, NPP General Secretary