Assin North MP’s case adjourned indefinitely by the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has adjourned the dual citizenship case of James Gyakie Quayson, the embattled Member of Parliament for Assin Central indefinitely.

The court in an earlier decision ordered Mr. Quayson to stop holding himself as the MP for the constituency.

It has however granted permission to Mr. Quayson, to file written submissions supporting his motion to strike out the writ seeking constitutional interpretation within 14 days from today, Tuesday, July 12, 2022.

Lead Counsel for Mr. Quayson, Tsatsu Tsikata told the Court that the written submission will assist the court with authorities, particularly with binding decisions relative to their motion to strike out the writ.

Lawyers for Michael Ankoma-Nimfah, the Electoral Commission, and the Attorney-General did not have any objections to the motion.

Michael Ankomah-Nimfah, the Plaintiff, the Electoral Commission as 2nd Respondent, and the Attorney-General as 3rd Respondent, also have fourteen (14) days within which to file their responses upon receipt of the written submissions.

The Cape Coast High Court in the Central Region had declared the 2020 parliamentary election held in the Assin North Constituency as null and void because Mr. Quayson breached the provisions of the constitution with regard to dual citizenship.

Mr. Quayson subsequently appealed the judgment, at the Court of Appeal in Cape Coast.

Quayson described the petitioner's case as blatant forum shopping and should not be countenanced by the Supreme Court.

This court should, with respect, not allow any litigant to act in such bad faith and engage in blatant forum shopping in instituting a new action for the determination of a matter already before another panel of this Court and also pending before other lower courts. The Plaintiff, while urging the panel of the Supreme Court before whom 1st Defendant’s application to quash the decision of the Court of Appeal, Cape Coast, and for the Supreme Court to refer to itself the interpretation of Article 94(2)(a) of the Constitution was pending, rot to make the reference, issues a new writ to be put before another panel of the court, he said.

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