The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will today, Wednesday, May 31, 2023 open nominations for the upcoming Assin North by-election.
The decision was taken at its Steering Committee (SC) meeting held on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 where the timelines for holding the parliamentary primary was announced.
Nominations are to close on Thursday June 1, 2023 while the election has been slated for Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
According to a statement signed by the General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua “The Party has also approved detailed Rules and Regulations to govern the conduct of the parliamentary primary election which would be made available to stakeholders. However, Nomination Forms will be available at the Constituency Party Office for purchase.”
READ ALSO: Parliament declares Assin North seat vacant
This follows a letter from the Clerk to Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah informing the Electoral Commission (EC) of the occurrence of a vacancy in the Assin North Constituency.
The Clerk in a memo to the Electoral Commission stated: “In the exercise of the power conferred and the duty imposed on the Clerk to Parliament by section 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Amendment) Act, 1996 (Act 527), I, CYRIL KWABENA OTENG NSIAH, Clerk to Parliament do hereby formally notify you of the occurrence of a vacancy in the Assin North Constituency necessitated by the Judgement of the Supreme Court dated 17 May 2023 vide Writ No. J1/11/2022 issued in respect of James Gyakye Quayson in the case of Michael Ankomah Nimfah vrs James Gyakye Quayson. The Electoral Commission of Ghana and the Attorney-General request you to take appropriate consequential action as required by law.”
The Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional the election of James Gyakye Quayson as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North in the Central Region,
In a unanimous decision Wednesday morning (May 17, 2023), a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge the name of Mr Quayson as MP
It was the considered view of the court that the election of Mr Quayson breached Article 94(2) (a) of the 1992 Constitution because at the time he filed to contest the elections he was not qualified to be elected as a legislator since he had not renounced his dual citizenship