The Minority in Parliament has decided to abstain from Parliamentary proceedings on days when the Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, is due to appear in court for an ongoing criminal prosecution against him.

Mr. Quayson, the embattled politician was sworn in as an MP for Assin North on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, after being victorious in the recently held by-election.

In a gesture of solidarity, Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson said that the whole Minority caucus will follow Mr. Quayson to court and will abstain from House business on those precise days.

The decision is intended to protest what the Minority perceives as ongoing persecution against Mr. Quayson.

“We wish to serve notice that the entire Minority will accompany our colleague today and any other days that he is to appear in court. We are solidarising with our colleague and we will not participate in the business of the House anytime our colleague is in court and we will be withdrawing from the Chamber after this ceremony if the court processes happen today.”

According to the Minority, Mr. Quayson’s victory is a bold statement to all politicians that Ghanaians cannot be swayed by money for votes.

“The people of Assin North have sent a clear message to all politicians and the government of the day especially, that they cannot be lured with money, not be intimidated by threats and it is the same message that Ghanaians are sending to us that in the year 2024, they will exercise their franchise based on their conscience and no amount of threats will dissuade them from voting out the administration that we are witnessing.”

Meanwhile, Mr Quayson is facing charges of forgery and perjury in relation to certain alleged offences in the run-up to the 2020 Assin North parliamentary election.

He has pleaded not guilty to five counts of forgery of passport or travel certificate, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration for office.

It is the case of the prosecution that Mr. Quayson allegedly made a false statement to the Passport Office that he did not hold a passport to another country when he applied for a Ghanaian Passport.

Also, the prosecution has accused Mr. Quayson of making a false declaration to the Electoral Commission (EC) to the effect that he did not owe any allegiance to a foreign country when he filed to contest as a candidate for the Assin North seat.