Yendi Member of Parliament, Farouk Aliu Mahama, has appealed to his fellow minority Members of Parliament to uphold the decision of the High Court, which has scheduled daily hearings for the criminal case involving Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson.
During an interview on JoyNews’ The Probe on Sunday, host Ayisha Ibrahimon asked whether the Majority was considering intervening in Gyakye Quayson’s case to facilitate the return of the Minority to the House.
In response, Farouk Aliu Mahama emphasized that matters of justice and the rule of law are paramount, and not even the president has the authority to intervene in such cases.
He, therefore, called on the NDC MPs to rescind their boycott and “leave the courts and the work of the judiciary in the hands of the competent people.”
“What can be done is that they should have a will within the courts, but for the government itself trying to intervene in this is something that is unacceptable.”
On July 4, 2023, the Accra High Court, under the jurisdiction of Justice Mary Yanzuh, ruled that the trial of Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, on alleged perjury charges would be conducted on a daily basis.
However, the ruling has sparked protests from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and several prominent public figures have urged the president and the Attorney General to consider filing a nolle prosequi in the criminal case.
In solidarity with Quayson, NDC members of parliament, supported by party leaders, have chosen to boycott parliament sessions to accompany him to court.
This week, the caucus reiterated their commitment to the boycott and announced a new strategy to escalate the protest. Their plan involves continuously raising concerns about quorum for parliamentary meetings, effectively disrupting and shutting down House proceedings.
Mr. Aliu Mahama stated that it is reasonable for the Assin North MP, Gyakye Quayson, to be required to appear in court daily, and he emphasized that the court’s decision must be respected.
He urged the Minority not to use the court’s decision as a bargaining tool to boycott parliamentary proceedings.
The legislator explained that prioritizing Gyakye Quayson’s case over the expectations of the Ghanaian people would not be appropriate.
Mr. Mahama called for consensus building among members in the House.
“There should be some consensus building. Obviously, God gave us this 8th Parliament so we cannot run away from that, it is a test case, and cooperation is important. Leadership must come together and we Members of Parliament must look at Ghana first and carry our duties as MPs,” he said.