An alleged leaked audio recording has surfaced, shedding light on a covert scheme orchestrated by the Assin North New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Charles Opoku, aimed at discrediting the accomplishments of the incumbent Member of Parliament, Hon. James Gyake Quayson.
The leaked tape, which has sparked widespread controversy, unveils a plot to falsely claim ownership of the achievements attributed to Hon. Quayson and orchestrate a campaign to tarnish his reputation, ultimately making him unpopular among constituents.
In the audio recording shared by an X user, purportedly features conversations among key members of the NPP campaign team, strategies are discussed on how to undermine the credibility of Hon. Quayson and overshadow his contributions to the development of the Assin North constituency.
Among the tactics outlined in the leaked tape include spreading misinformation about Hon. Quayson’s initiatives, fabricating negative narratives to portray him in a bad light, and strategically promoting the NPP candidate as the sole champion of progress in the region.
In 2023, James Gyakye Quayson, representing the National Democratic Congress, secured victory in the Assin North constituency, retaining the seat for the NDC.
Mr Quayson achieved success with 17,245 votes, constituting 57.56% of the total ballots cast, surpassing his main contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who garnered 12,630 votes, equivalent to 42.15% of the vote share.
Listen to the audio below:
Assin North Npp parliamentary candidate leak tape on a plot to claim ownership of the achievements of the MP Hon. James Gyake Quayson and how to make him unpopular. Just listen to the evil plot. pic.twitter.com/CeyUkyrPHZ
Defeated Assin North Parliamentary candidate, Charles Opoku, has admitted to making hefty donations to members of the Assin North ahead of the by-election held on June 27, 2023.
He made the revelation while refuting claims suggesting that he had ordered for items he had given out to be retrieved following the election.
According to Mr Opoku, he has not contracted any individual to undertake any initiative of such sort.
Among the items distributed to the people of Assin North prior to the by-election include fabrics presented to widows, chairs donated to churches.
”I will never return for what I shared before the election. Even a day after my loss, I went ahead and distributed fabrics to widows as part of the Eid-Ad-ha celebration.
“I am pleading with people to stop spreading lies about me. The emphasis should now be on laying the groundwork for prosperity and the development of the constituency.
“I also urge those who are spreading this propaganda to stop. It is unjust and must not be entertained. I’ve also learned that some people are going to churches to retrieve the chairs I donated. I want to emphasise that I have not directed anyone to do anything on my behalf,” he is quoted by Ghanaweb.com to have stated.
Meanwhile, Mr Opoku says he continues to offer assistance to the people of Assin North such as paying medical bills despite losing the by-elections to the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC), James Gyakye Quayson, who was sworn-in in Parliament today, July 4, 2023.
”After my defeat, people come to my house for assistance. People come to my house to queue and ask for help with their medical bills, among other things.,” he said.
“I do these things from the bottom of my heart, so if an opponent is out to destroy my name, that will not wash. I would also encourage constituents to report anyone who comes in my name to retrieve such items or calls me,” he added.
Mr Gyakye Quayson on Tuesday, June 27, beat his closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin North by-election by obtaining 17,245 votes out of the total valid votes of 29,962, representing 57.56 per cent.
Mr Charles Opoku, on the other hand, garnered 12,630 of the votes cast, representing 42.17 per cent while Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes.
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.
In the aftermath of the recent Assin North by-election, certain individuals have taken to social media to mock Charles Opoku, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate.
Netizens, particularly Twitter trolls, have humorously dubbed the Two Hundred Ghana Cedi (GH¢200) banknote as “Charles Opoku” in light of allegations of vote-buying by the NPP, despite their candidate’s defeat.
Evangelist Richard Prah, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) communicator in the Ashanti Region, went on the radio to claim that the GH¢200 note has now become synonymous with Charles Opoku.
In a viral video, some voters from the area alleged that they were given 200 cedis in exchange for voting for the NPP candidate. They even composed songs in Twi, referring to the money as “Charles Opoku,” with lyrics that loosely translate to “I received money from Charles Opoku.”
Speaking on Ultimate FM in Kumasi, Prah said “Let me tell you something interesting about the Assin North elections, the NPP thought they could buy the elections, so they went with money but the people rejected them”
“In their minds, they thought they were buying the elections so they were going to buy it with money but this was rather a by-election as in By-Election, not a purchase as in going to buy something oo. They got it wrong. Now in Assin they call the 200 Cedis Charles Opoku because they gave money to sway the votes and it didn’t work. They were seen portraying the monies they got saying they were going to spend Charles Opoku’s monies” he added.
Accusations of vote-buying have surfaced from both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) following the recently concluded elections.
According to reports, the ruling NPP allegedly provided some voters with 200 cedis, while the opposition NDC was said to be distributing 100 cedis per voter.
In the end, James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC emerged as the winner of the elections. He will once again represent the Assin North constituency, following the annulment of the 2020 elections by the Supreme Court due to allegations of dual citizenship held by him at the time of the elections.
A section of voters in the Assin North Constituency were captured on video celebrating the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate James Gyakye Quayson.
About a half dozen of the supporters at the back of a pickup are heard singing a song to the effect that they have spent Charles Opoku’s money.
“We have spent, we have spent, we have spent ooooo, Charles Opoku’s money, we have spent. Here is not not Kumawu,” one of them is heard adding after the chorus of their song ends.
Even before the Electoral Commission formally announced results, NDC supporters took to the streets celebrating their victory citing wins in New Patriotic Party (NPP) strongholds in the constituency.
A group of voters in the Assin North Constituency were recorded expressing their joy and celebrating the success of James Gyakye Quayson, the candidate from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In the footage, a few supporters situated at the rear of a pickup truck can be heard singing a song, indicating that they have utilized Charles Opoku’s funds.
“Here is not not Kumawu,” one of them is heard adding after the chorus of their sone ends.
Even before the Electoral Commission formally announced results, the NDC took to the streets celebrating their victory citing wins in New Patriotic Party (NPP) strongholds in the constituency.
If ‘fear delegates’ was a person… ????#MetroNews #ElectionCentral pic.twitter.com/cBbsiTdoXV
EC makes formal declaration:
Gyakye Quayson was announced the winner after the Electoral Commission of Ghana officially declared him as the Member of Parliament-elect.
According to the Electoral Commission’sannouncement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast.
His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes.
Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
Going by the figures from both outfits, it is clear that the NDC’s collation was watertight and that the system put in place was robust enough to deliver polling station outcomes in a timeous manner.
Analysts, however, warn that this is for one constituency but the parties will now have to focus on rolling out a system to collate two levels of results come 2024 – the national presidential vote and 275 parliamentary results.
About the Assin North by-election:
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
In an interview on Monday, Gladys Pinkrah, the Central Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), assured that the EC is fully prepared for the upcoming by-election in Assin North, scheduled for Tuesday.
Pinkrah stated that all the necessary election materials have arrived in Assin North and will be distributed to the respective polling stations on Tuesday morning.
The EC expressed confidence in its readiness to conduct a smooth and successful by-election.
“We have received all our election materials and have packaged them so early in the morning we will dispatch them to the polling centers.
We have also trained our election officials, so we are going to have all the representatives of the political parties, NPP, LPG and NDC at the polling stations before we have deployment,” she stated.
Voters in the Assin North constituency in the Central Region will go to the polls today, Tuesday, June 27, to elect their next representative in Parliament.
Three candidates are vying for the seat: James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).
The Electoral Commission (EC) scheduled the by-election for June 27 following the nullification of the 2020 parliamentary election won by Mr Quayson.
The Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge Mr Quayson’s name from its records after it found that he held dual citizenship at the time of filing his nomination forms.
A recent survey by Global Info Analytics shows that Mr. Opoku of the NPP has a slight lead overMr. Quayson of the NDC.
The survey, which was conducted between June 15 and 20, 2022, found that 46.7% of respondents said they would vote for Mr. Opoku, while 45.6% said they would vote for Mr. Quayson.
The remaining 6.9% of respondents said they were undecided.
As the highly anticipated by-election in Assin North Constituency draws near, an air of anticipation, excitement, and nervousness envelops the region, gripping both residents and political factions alike.
Scheduled for 27th June 2023, the Electoral Commission, under the stewardship of Madam Jean Mensa, has earnestly conveyed its dedication to orchestrating an electoral process that is seamlessly executed, impartial, transparent, and safeguarded against any potential irregularities.
This upcoming by-election holds significant political importance, as it stems from a momentous Supreme Court ruling in 2023. The court’s decision rendered Mr James Gyakye Quayson’s election as Member of Parliament for the constituency null and void.
The reason cited was that Mr Quayson held dual citizenship of Ghana and Canada at the time of his election, which violated Article 94 (2) (a) of the 1992 Constitution. The main contenders for the seat in this by-election are Mr. James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In the 2020 parliamentary election, Mr Quayson secured 17,498 votes, while Madam Abena Durowaa Mensah of the NPP received 14,193 votes. The NPP candidate lost by a margin of 3,305 votes. In the same election, President Akufo-Addo received 16,067 votes (50.81%), representing the NPP, while John Mahama of the NDC polled 15,014 (47.48%) votes in the constituency.
It is worth mentioning that this by-election comes just a month after another by-election was held in Kumawu in the Ashanti Region.
Amidst ongoing conversations and theories about the candidates and the potential outcome, The Independent Ghana aims to present a perspective that contributes positively to the discourse and helps voters in processing comprehensive information about their respective parties.
Examining the voting pattern of Assin North constituency, particularly between the two prominent political parties in Ghana, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), reveals a unique trend. Unlike some constituencies where the voting outcome is relatively predictable, Assin North has proven to be more challenging to determine over the years.
Let us delve into the data from Peace FM’s election coalition portal and explore how the NPP and NDC have fared at the parliamentary level from 1996 to 2020.
1996:
Both parties, established in 1992, were relatively young in the contest for votes, in a general election, against a backdrop of a tense sociopolitical environment. As the ruling party at the time, the NDC secured a significant 63.0% of the total votes cast, while the NPP received a modest 34.7%. Various factors may have influenced this outcome, suggesting a general affinity towards the NDC. However, the dynamics shifted swiftly in the next election cycle, making the 2000 elections intriguing to observe.
2000:
Sentiments took a turn as the NPP emerged victorious with 56.6% of the votes, while the NDC managed a 39.7% vote share in the constituency. Interestingly, the NPP also won the national presidential elections that same year.
2004:
The love for the NPP appeared to have grown in the constituency, as they secured another victory in 2004 with 58.6% of the votes, while the NDC received 36.5%.
2008:
The 2008 election proved to be challenging for the NPP, as they narrowly retained the seat with 55.1% of the votes, against the formidable NDC, which garnered an impressive 42.9% vote share.
2012:
Dissatisfaction with the NPP seemed to have taken root in the constituency, as the NDC ended the NPP’s winning streak by securing 51.6% of the votes, leaving the NPP with 44.2%.
2016:
The NDC’s victory was short-lived, as the NPP made a strong comeback in 2016, winning by a significant margin of 56.8%, which was their second-best vote percentage since 1996. Remarkably, the NPP also won the national presidential elections in the same year. The NDC, on the other hand, received 39.2% of the votes, their lowest vote percentage in the constituency since 1996.
2020:
Assin North became a topic of discussion across Ghana due to the legal issues surrounding the elected candidates. In the 2020 election, James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC and Abena Durowaa Mensah of the NPP contested the seat. Mr Quayson secured 55.2% of the votes, while Ms Mensah received 44.8%. Mr Quayson’s vote percentage marked the second-highest for the NDC in the constituency since 1996.
Data from ghanaelections.peacefmonline.com
Considering the fluid voter behaviour within this constituency over the past decade, predicting the outcome solely based on historical vote percentages is challenging. Some constituents interviewed by the media have expressed apathy towards both parties, indicating that they will vote based on their conviction about the respective candidates and their plans for the constituency.
However, there are still staunch party loyalists who intend to vote for their party’s candidates regardless. It will be interesting to observe the behaviour of young voters, political sceptics, older voters, and the working class in this by-election.
The outcome of this by-election, just like most elections, remains uncertain. Only time will reveal the choice of the electorate and shape the future political landscape of the constituency.
Renowned pollster, Ben Ephson has predicted that Charles Opoku, the New Patriotic Party’s candidate in the Assin North by-election will win the upcoming elections and kill James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress’s dream of retaining his seat.
Ben Ephson, in a Joy News interview, held that the election is quite close but believes that the determining factors favor the New Patriotic Party.
Laying the premise for his prediction of victory for the NPP, Ben Ephson noted that Gyakye Quayson won the 2020 elections largely because of his place of origin is Assin Bereku.
According to him, with Assin Bereku holding the largest number of voters within the constituency, Gyakye Quayson had the advantage of his own people voting massively for him.
The situation is however different as Charles Opoku who is the NPP’s candidate also hails from the town.
Ephson also argued that the ‘sympathy votes’ campaign which was being championed by the NDC has been dealt a blow following the decision of the Accra High Court to allow Gyakye Quayson to campaign whiles his criminal trial is ongoing.
“Both parties want this seat so badly. For Quayson the sympathy votes that he would have gotten have dropped a bit because some NDC people were trying to influence the swing voters that when there is a by-election, roads get done and monies come from both parties so let’s vote for Quayson so that if he loses, then we will have another chance for another by-election but the court asking to go back to the campaign has dimmed his chances.
“For the NPP candidate, the little investigations I’ve done show that he has been preparing himself for politics. For the past few years, he has an NGO which has been doing a number of activities. That gives him an advantage. If you were to gamble with your last 100 cedis, I will advise you to put your money on the NPP candidate even though it’s too close to call.
“Quayson came from Assin Bereku and the lady was from another area. The lady had issues with some of the NPP executives in Assin Bereku which is why this time she was asked to stay aside. With both candidates coming Assin Bereku and the lady who is popular in another town campaigning for the NPP… The NPP candidate has also been doing a lot of philanthropic works in Assin North”, he said.
In what has been termed as a mid-term election to assess the popularity of the two main political parties ahead of the 2024 elections, James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC is battling Charles Opoku of the NPP to retain the seat which he won in 2020.
The by-election was necessitated by a Supreme Court decision to declare the 2020 elections in the constituency as null and void.
The court held that at the time of filing to contest, James Gyakye Quayson had not successfully renounced his Canadian citizenship and thus was a dual citizen of Ghana and Canada.
Charles Opoku has been chosen as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the upcoming Assin North by-election on June 27.
Mr Opoku received 397 votes out of a total of 536 valid votes. His competitor, Freeman Amoah-Kyei, garnered 136 votes in the contest.
The election took place at the Church of Pentecost in Akonfodi in Assin Bereku with national executives of the party led by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong.
After the ballots were sorted, counted and the results were declared, supporters of Charles Opoku broke into jubilation.
Charles Opoku will battle James Gyakye Quayson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Assin North seat.
In the 2020 elections, Mr Gyakye Quayson beat Abena Durowaa Mensah to win the seat.
His election was, however, challenged by a constituent, who had told a Cape Coast High Court that he had not renounced his Canadian citizenship prior to his nomination.
The decision was affirmed by the Supreme Court and Parliament was ordered to expunge his name from all records.
