Assin North MP renounced Canadian citizenship before joining Parliamentary race – Ofosu Ampofo

National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has expressed shock at the verdict of a Cape Coast High Court that cancelled the Assin North 2020 Parliamentary elections.

The court presided over by Justice Kwasi Boakye, ordered for fresh elections to be conducted in the constituency Tuesday following a petition seeking to nullify the elections held last December.

The case of the petitioner is that the MP, James Quayson, at the time of filing to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections, had not renounced his Canadian citizenship and thus held dual nationality.

But reacting to the ruling in Cape Coast, Ofosu Ampofo told press men the NDC legal team were preparing to respond to the ruling.

“The Assin North MP was duly qualified to contest the elections. The party vetted him and ensured that he had qualified to be voted for under the laws of the country,” he disclosed.

” Even after he was challenged, the EC was able to verify that his documents were authentic. The EC affirmed that he had renounced his Canadian citizenship before going into the elections. ”

” On the day of elections the documents showing he had qualified to be voted for were with him same as the day he was to be sworn in as a Parliamentarian, ” Ofosu Ampofo said in defense to Quayson.

The NDC is yet to disclose whether they will appeal the ruling or not.

However, the Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Annor Dompreh, has said it is not automatic that Quayson will be dragged out of Parliament.

He told Citi News that the Electoral Commission will have to follow due process and notify the law-making chamber of the decision to hold bye-elections in Assin North.