The former President and flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has assured supporters in Assin North Constituency that the parliamentary candidate for the party in the upcoming by-election, James Gyakye Quayson, will not face imprisonment if elected.

The comments by the former president were contained in a video posted by Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, which was sighted by GhanaWeb.

The former president, in addressing a gathering of Assin North electorates, emphasized that Gyakye Quayson had presented documents to the Electoral Commission (EC) suggesting that he had renounced his Canadian citizenship. And the EC, after verifying the documents, granted him clearance to participate in the election.

He also debunked comments by President Nana Addo, suggesting that the party’s choice of a parliamentary candidate would face imprisonment because of the ongoing criminal case in court.

“He presented the documents that suggested that he had renounced his Canadian citizenship to the Electoral Commission (EC), and they gave him clearance to contest in the election. So, it is the EC that permitted him to contest.

“By this, the president cannot come and deceive the Assin North electorates for them to think that Sakande’s case and Gyakye Quayson’s case are the same. Sakande went to prison because he told a lie, he hid his passport. Gyakye Quayson didn’t hide his passport. Before you voted for him here in Assin North, the Canadian government has accepted his renouncement of citizenship; what then is his crime,” the former president asked.

John Mahama maintained that the choice of candidate for the NDC would not be intimidated by the court or the NPP.

He thus urged the electorate to disregard such statements and that Gyakye Quayson would remain free, especially as he would be voted for as the member of parliament for the area.

“So, all the comments that suggest that Gyakye Quayson will go to prison, I am standing in your presence to say they are all lies. He will neither go to prison today nor tomorrow,” he said.

Mahama further expressed his confidence in Gyakye Quayson's eligibility and the chances of the NDC winning the by-election, stating that the candidate is clean.

“As long as we serve God, all those saying Gyakye Quayson will go to prison will take the lead there. All those who have dug a pit for Gyakye Quayson will enter their pit. So, he is clean.

“That is why he wanted to stand again, and the EC accepted again and gave him clearance. Just like in 2020 when they gave him clearance to contest. In this by-election, they have accepted that he contests again because he is clean,” he stressed.

The highly anticipated by-election in Assin North, scheduled for June 27, 2023, will see Gyakye Quayson, representing the NDC, contend against Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).

With the by-election drawing near, the bigwigs of all the parties have intensified their campaigns and rallies, hoping to secure the votes of the respective candidates.

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