The Central Regional branch of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed its disappointment at the Supreme Court’s order to Parliament to expunge the name of James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament (MP) from its records.

The Central Regional wing of the NDC also insists that Mr Gyakye Quayson had renounced his Canadian citizenship before contesting the Assin North seat.

“As a region, we wish to place on record that at the time of his election as a member of Parliament for Assin North, Hon. James Gyakye Quayson had duly renounced his Canadian Citizenship and didn’t hold citizenship allegiance to any other country besides Ghana,” the NDC said in a statement issued on Thursday, 18 May 2023, signed by its Regional Secretary, Gabriel Nii Kommey Adams, in reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision. 

It continued that: “We wish to express our disappointment in the verdict of the Supreme Court against our comrade and MP, Hon. James Gyakye Quayson. 

“We see this as a bad precedent for the rule of law and democracy in Ghana.”

The NDC Central Regional wing, however, assured Mr Gyakye Quayson of its “commitment and unswerving support”. 

Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Wednesday, 18 May 2023, signed by its General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC described the decision by the Supreme Court as “strange”. 

“In the light of many previous decisions that we are aware of, including decisions in cases involving Honourable J.H. Mensah, Honourable Baba Jamal and Honourable Peter Amewu that state that the Supreme Court does not have the jurisdiction to invalidate a Parliamentary election and that the High Court is where such a matter should be taken, it seems strange to us that the Supreme Court gave this decision,” the party noted.

Despite this, the party said, it is “ready for the by-election that is now the result of this decision.”

It added: “The full weight of the party, including the Minority Caucus in Parliament, will be put behind Honourable Quayson so as to ensure an even more resounding victory for him in the upcoming bye-election.”