A delegation of New Patriotic Party (NPP) national executives recently visited several members of the opposing National Democratic Congress (NDC) who were involved in a car accident over the weekend and are currently receiving treatment at St. Francis Hospital in Assin Fosu. Richard Ahiagbah, the National Communications Director of the NPP, led the delegation and expressed solidarity with the injured NDC members, emphasizing the shared vulnerabilities that political parties face. In a Twitter post, he acknowledged the accident victims and praised the efforts of NPP Deputy Youth Organizer Mr. Jay Hyde and NPP National Communications team member Mr. Alfred Thompson for providing support to the NDC members. The accident occurred during a campaign tour in the Assin North constituency, resulting in the unfortunate loss of an NDC member’s life.
The accident has further complicated the political landscape in the Assin North constituency, which is already embroiled in a legal dispute over the parliamentary seat. Former President John Dramani Mahama, leading the NDC’s campaign efforts, was touring the constituency to rally support for his party’s candidate, James Gyakye Quayson. However, a Supreme Court ruling nullified Gyakye Quayson’s election as a member of parliament due to his failure to renounce his Canadian citizenship during the nomination process for the 2020 parliamentary election. Consequently, the Electoral Commission has scheduled a by-election for June 27, 2023, to fill the vacant seat.
Despite the pending criminal trial against him in a High Court on perjury charges, the NDC has nominated Gyakye Quayson as its candidate for the upcoming by-election. The trial is set to commence on June 20, 2023, just seven days before the by-election, with the court intending to hear the case on a daily basis. This development adds a layer of complexity to the political dynamics in the Assin North constituency, as the NDC faces the dual challenges of legal proceedings against its candidate and the need to secure voter support in the by-election.
