‘Assin North seat is automatically vacant, NDC only has 136 MPs’ – Majority Leader asserts

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has stated emphatically that the Assin North Parliamentary seat held by the embattled NDC Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson is vacant.

According to him, he said the total number of Members of Parliament is now 274 and not 275.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Joy News’ PM Express which aired last night, Monday, April 4, 2022, he said even the Minority side agrees with this position.

“Why is it that they [Minority Caucus] are stressing on 136 and not 137? Because they know that the Assin North MP has been ousted by the Court,” he said.

Citing Article 97 of the 1992 Constitution, the Majority Leader insisted that there is automaticity that renders a seat vacant “If any circumstances arise such that if he were not a Member of Parliament would cause him to be disqualified or ineligible for election under Article 94 under this Constitution.”

The Suame legislator disagreed that it requires the Court to declare a seat vacant.

For him, the embattled Assin North seat became automatically vacant the moment Mr Quayson failed to prove to the judiciary that he qualified to run as a Parliamentary candidate in the 2020 election.

“There is that automaticity. Who says it must come from the mouth of somebody. So if the person decides not to make the pronouncement that means the [disqualified] MP will be there? No,” he stated.

Meanwhile, he insisted that in the “fullness of time” the law will take its course.

Source: thenewsroomonline.com