The choice of the minority
James Gyakye Quayson
The strategy for the Minority in Parliament's response to the government's escalation of the ongoing trial of the Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency, James Gyakye Quayson, including the intention to respond in kind to the government's actions.
Following a request by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, that James Gyakye Quayson be tried on a daily basis, the NDC MPs have communicated their upcoming decision. "despite an application for stay of proceedings and a pending application before the Court of Appeal against the daily trial," the High Court has ruled that it will continue to hear the case on a daily basis.
Kwame Agbodza began a press release that was issued in a car and signed by the Minority Chief Whip by saying, "If the Member of Parliament must appear in court every week day for trial, what time will he have to attend to Parliamentary business to represent the people of Assin North?" The statement was made under the signature of the Minority Chief Whip.
The statement claims that at this time, "We are therefore, including all options available to us to defend and protect our colleague."
PRESS RELEASE
MINORITY IN PARLIAMENT RECIPROCATES RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT'S ESCALATION OF JAMES GYAKYE QUAYSON'S PERSECUTION.
The Minority in Parliament has made the decision to retaliate against the government's intensification of the ongoing persecution of the Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency, the Honourable James Gyakye Quayson. This decision was made in response to the fact that the government has escalated the persecution of James Gyakye Quayson.
The High Court has decided that it will continue to hear the case on a daily basis, in response to a request made by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, that the Honourable James Gyakye Quayson be tried on a daily basis. This decision was made in spite of an application for a stay of proceedings and an application pending before the Court of Appeal against the trial occurring on a daily basis.
In effect, the decisions made by the High Court put the Honourable James Gyakye Quayson in the same situation that he was placed in by the Supreme Court before to the by-election that was held in the Assin North Constituency.
In the event that the Member of Parliament is required to be in court on each weekday during the trial, how much time will he have to devote to attending to the work of the Parliament in order to adequately serve the people of Assin North? As a result, we have reached this position in which we are exploring any and all alternatives that are open to us in order to defend and safeguard our employees.
James Gyakye Quayson, Hon., is the only individual who has ever been elected to Parliament more than once within the course of a single term. He began his political career by winning the parliamentary election for the Assin North Constituency in the year 2020. However, after two and a half years, the Supreme Court pronounced that election invalid. This resulted in a by-election taking place on June 27th, 2023, which he again won with an overwhelming majority of 57.56% of the vote.