The Minority in Parliament has described the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo from office by President John Dramani Mahama as a “judicial coup.”
According to the Member of Parliament for Suame and Legal Counsel to the Minority Caucus, John Darko, the decision marked a dark day in Ghana’s democratic journey.
He said September 1, should be remembered as the day the judiciary was subjugated by the executive.
Mr. Darko explained that although the Minority was aware of moves by the administration to remove the Chief Justice, they believed the President would uphold fairness and protect the independence of state institutions.
He argued that the removal was politically motivated and not grounded in due legal or constitutional process.
He alleged that it was part of a broader plan by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to weaken independent institutions.
The legislator recalled that during the 2024 election campaign, President Mahama and NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia had both signaled that Justice Torkonoo and the Electoral Commission Chair should be removed.
He said this confirmed that the latest action was in line with the NDC’s agenda.
Mr. Darko warned that the move undermined the progress of Ghana’s democracy, adding that it placed the country among nations such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka that had removed their Chief Justices for political reasons.
He called on traditional leaders, the clergy, the media, and all well-meaning citizens to condemn the decision, stressing that the action had set back Ghana’s democratic gains.
By: Jacob Aggrey
