Minority to withdraw from Parliament ‘anytime’ Gyakye Quayson goes to court

The Minority in Parliament has served notice members will not partake in the business of the House days Assin North Member of Parliament will be in court for his criminal trial.

Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson says the caucus has resolved to solidarise with James Gyakye Quayson until the case is done with.

He made this known immediately after Mr Gyakye Quayson was sworn in as MP on Tuesday, July 4.

He swore the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Member of Parliament as administered by Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin exactly a week after he won the by-election held as a result of his deposition by a Supreme Court ruling. He was said to have been invalidly elected.

Giving his remarks after the swearing-in, which was well-attended by friends and family of the Mr Gyakye Quayson, Dr Ato Forson served notice that the Minority will not join business of the House on days the Assin North member will appear in court for his daily trial.

“Mr Speaker, I wish to serve notice that the entire Minority Group will accompany our colleague to court today and any other day that he is to appear in court,” he stated.

“Mr Speaker, we are solidarising with our colleague and we will not participate in the business of the House anytime our colleague is in court and we will be withdrawing form the chamber after this ceremony if the court processes indeed happen today.”

The case was called at the High Court on Tuesday, July 4 but it was adjourned to Thursday, July 6.

The Minority insists cooperation in the House will be difficult to achieve in the face of the ongoing trial.

“Amid persecution, cooperation will certainly suffer. Mr Speaker, a word to wise is in Assin North.”

But the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, was not happy with the referral of the trial as persecution, saying the constitution is only taking its course.

“Let us respect the constitution that all of us have sworn to uphold,” the Suame MP stressed.

“Selectivity will be that you elect to apply in piecemeal the entirety of the constitution. Mr Speaker, so people should understand and appreciate the import of this constitution and when it comes to be applied, it is not selective justice.”