Franklin Cudjoe, the founding president of the think tank IMANI Center for Policy & Education, has indicated that the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) James Gyakye Quayson‘s victory in the Assin North Constituency by-election is a disgrace for the current and future New Patriotic Party (NPP).
His election as a Member of Parliament (MP) in 2020 was declared null and void because he had not received a confirmation of the renunciation of his Canadian citizenship at the time he filed to run for the position of MP in his constituency. For him, the power of the state was used to cruelly treat him.
Mr. Cudjoe pointed out that because Mr. Quayson is still alive, he is king.
“James Gyakye Quayson has humiliated the current and the near future of the NPP. The state was used to maltreat him. Alas, when you aim at a king, make sure you strike him dead. Quayson lives. Good evening,” he wrote on social media.
This comes after James Gyakye emerged victorious in Tuesday’s by-election.
At the end of the contest on June 27, 2023, Mr. Quayson polled 17,245 votes representing 57.56 percent of the total votes cast to beat Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).
Charles Opoku polled 12,630 votes representing 42.15 percent of the total votes cast in the hotly contested by-election while the LPG’s Bernice Enyonam Sefenu polled a paltry 87 votes (0.29%).
Meanwhile James Gyakye Quayson speaking after the victory said, “I believe in the rule of law and I do things according to the law. Also, I had the support of my constituents, not just the people of Assin North alone, my NDC fraternity, and people from the other side of the aisle which is the NPP who were supporting me. They may not be able to identify themselves publicly.
“I was treated unfairly but as I said I had to abide by the court’s decision. If they didn’t believe in what I did, now they know the results. Again the good people of Assin North have demonstrated that they have a conscience and they believe in me.”
