Sammy Gyamfi, the Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has strongly criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Assin North parliamentary election, describing it as a “travesty of justice.”
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Sammy Gyamfi expressed his disappointment and concern over the court’s decision, stating that it showcased a complete disregard for the rule of law.
Reading through the 35-page judgment, Sammy Gyamfi found it disheartening as a Ghanaian to witness the Supreme Court’s alleged negligence in upholding the principles of justice.
He lamented the court’s directive to Parliament to remove Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records, referring to it as a prime example of the court’s disregard for established legal positions.
“The 35-page judgment of the Supreme Court has only confirmed our [the NDC’s] position that the decision taken by the Supreme Court to annul the election of Gyakye Quayson is nothing but a travesty of justice. You read the entire judgment, and you get sad as a Ghanaian that clear positions of law in this country were clearly disregarded by the Supreme Court in arriving at the conclusion that they arrived at,” Sammy Gyamfi expressed during the interview.
Furthermore, he accused the Supreme Court of conflicting with the very law it is tasked to uphold and interpret. He criticized the court’s ruling on Mr. Quayson’s eligibility in the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election, claiming that it contradicted established legal principles.
Sammy Gyamfi’s remarks shed light on the NDC’s dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision, which they perceive as a departure from the principles of justice and the rule of law. The opposition party remains steadfast in its position and has raised concerns about the integrity of the judicial process.
The controversy surrounding the Assin North parliamentary election and the Supreme Court’s ruling continues to draw attention, with implications for Ghana’s democratic system and the public’s perception of the judiciary.
The NDC’s criticism, as articulated by Sammy Gyamfi, adds to the ongoing discourse surrounding the case, raising important questions about the application of the rule of law and the pursuit of justice in Ghana.
“Section 20 (b) of the representation of the people’s PNDC Law 284 is clear that a parliamentary election can only be cancelled if that parliamentary candidate was not qualified at the time of his election, with emphasis on the at the time of his election.
“The Supreme Court says that the Assin North parliamentary elections were held on December 7, 2020, and at the time of that election, Gyakye Quayson had received the renunciation of his Canadian citizenship on November 26, 2020, ten clear days before the election but the Supreme Court is saying that even though he was qualified before the election, he should have been qualified before his nomination and that he submitted his nomination forms on October 9 and that since his certificate of renunciation came on November 26, 2020, he was not qualified by October 9 when he submitted his form, but the law says he should be qualified at the time of the election.”
