The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has opened nominations for the upcoming Assin North by-election in the Central Region.
According to a statement signed by the NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the nomination forms will be available for purchase at the Constituency Party Office from May 31 to June 1.
The party has set the internal election date for Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
The decision to hold the primary was approved by the NPP’s Steering Committee during a meeting held on May 30, 2023.
In their statement, the party outlined the timelines for the by-election process and stated that detailed Rules and Regulations governing the conduct of the parliamentary primary election will be made available to stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the Assin North Constituency Chairman for the National Democratic Congress in the Central Region, Mr.Felix Benefo has revealed that the Party will reconsider Mr.Gyekye Quayson as Candidate for the upcoming by-election.
According to him,Mr.Gyekye Quayson has denounced his Canadian citizenship and can contest the seat again for the NDC, adding,he will get more sympathy votes and win the seat with again for the NDC.
Parliamentary Election Results since 1996 shows that the NDC won the seat in 1996,2012 and 2020 while the NPP also the seat in the year 2000,2004,2008 and 2016 respectively.
In the 2020 Parliamentary Election, the NDC won the seat with 17,498 votes with Mr. James Gyakye Quayson while the NPP also polled 14,193 votes with Incumbent MP, Abena Durowaa Mensah, but the NPP won the Presidential Election in the Constituency with 16,067,compare to the NDC’s 15,014 votes.
Parliament has written to the Electoral Commission (EC) declaring the Assin North seat vacant on Monday, May 29.
Per the sources, the letter was based on the recent ruling and orders of the Supreme Court.
The apex court ordered Parliament to expunge James Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records after it concluded that he failed to renounce his Canadian citizenship at the time of filing his nomination forms to contest the polls.
Presiding Judge Justice Jones Dotse on Wednesday, May 17, ruled that the Electoral Commission (EC) acted unconstitutionally in allowing him to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections without proof of him renouncing his Canadian citizenship.
This is in the case filed by a resident of the constituency, Michael Ankomah Nimfah.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Mensah Atakora
