Assin North MP-elect James Gyakye Quayson called President Akufo-comment Addo’s that he could go to jail “disappointing”.
“I was a bit disappointed to hear that from a president who is a lawyer,” Mr Quayson told journalists after his re-election in Tuesday’s by-election.
“The good people of Assin North have demonstrated that they have a conscience and they believe in me and I have a vision to execute,” he said.
Mr Quayson received 17,245 valid votes, 57.56 per cent.
He defeated his archrival Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who received 12,630 votes, or 42.15 per cent.
LPG candidate Bernice Enyonam Sefenu received 87 votes (0.29%).
President Akufo-Addo told Assin North residents: “It is crucial for us to exercise our voting rights responsibly,” adding: “We should not support or vote for individuals who are entangled in legal controversies that may eventually lead them to face imprisonment”.
“We need help—your advocate. Gyakye Quayson said, ‘Even in prison, you people will vote for him’. Can he work in prison? We elect MPs. From prison? Vote for someone who won’t go to jail. “Vote for someone who can improve your lives,” the president advised Assin North voters.
After the Supreme Court declared Mr. Quayson’s 2020 election victory null and void due to his dual Canadian-Ghanaian citizenship at the time of filing to run for office, a by-election was held.
After his by-election victory, Mr Quayson said, “I stood for justice and development, and I still haven’t swayed, and I will continue to pursue the same agenda because that is the mandate Assin North has given me and this is a victory not just for me but for the people of Ghana, and hopefully, one day, we will pursue a good direction of justice and also realise that politics is not about sharing money to people to get a vote.
“Democracy is about development, and we are going to set this trend along to make sure that people who are represented get a fair share of the national cake and how to develop their communities,” he said.
