SC Ruling on Gyakye Quayson: Supreme Court was overly harsh — Bernard Mornah

Former Chairman of the People's National Convention (PNC), Bernard Anbataayela Mornah has described the Supreme Court ruling annulling the election of James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament for Assin North as unnecessarily harsh.

The outspoken politician during a Panel discussion on TV3 Newday Morning Show on June 6, 2023 said the Supreme Court was overly harsh and unfair to James Gyakye Quayson.

According to him, the decision to become a citizen of a country is ultimately up to the individual, regardless of the circumstances.

“When you submit your application that, I want my citizenship to be discontinued, from that day you cease to be a citizen of that Country until otherwise because I decided to become a Citizen and I am saying that I don’t want to become a Citizen again, you cannot stop me from wanting to become a Citizen or not wanting to become a Citizen, so I feel that the Supreme Court has sometimes been unnecessarily harsh,” Bernard Mornah stated.

He also added that there are instances where individuals deliberately decide not to renounce their citizenship which warrants the wrath of the Supreme Court.

“There are instances where people have not taken any steps to renounce their Citizenship and therefore you could say because you didn’t take any steps you are incompetent to hold office as it is now,” Bernard Mornah stated.

In the case Mr Quayson, he said the deposed lawmaker argument that he has filed for a certificate of renunciation should be enough grounds for the apex court to free him.

“But somebody who has taken all the necessary steps and you are very much aware and that it was just left with the paper to qualify the person and you said no I will not do so I feel that, it is unfair,” Bernard Mornah said.

He however advised “finally let me say that let’s not believe in the rigidity of the law as we say law is made for man and not man for the law,”