Defeated candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election, Charles Opoku, has recently come under scrutiny for his alleged attempts to buy votes during the election.
Per reports, Mr Opoku allegedly distributed money and various items including; different types of fabrics, cement, roofing sheets, and farm tools to constituents in a bid to secure their support.
Despite his efforts, James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Candidate (NDC) emerged victorious, securing 57.56% of the total votes cast, with a significant total of 17,245 votes.
The by-election in the Assin North constituency of the Central Region took place on June 27, 2023, following a high court ruling that nullified the 2020 parliamentary election in the area.
The court ruled that Mr. Quayson’s possession of both Canadian and Ghanaian citizenship rendered him ineligible to contest the seat.
Despite the nullification, Mr. Quayson continued to hold himself as the MP for Assin North, leading the petitioner, Michael Ankomah Nimfah, to take the case to the Supreme Court for an interpretation of Article 94 (2) (a).
On May 17, 2023, the Supreme Court emphasized that allowing Mr. Quayson to remain in office would undermine the administration of justice. As a result, the court directed Parliament to expunge his name from its records as the Assin North MP.