We must not remain silent — NPP, other opposition parties to protest CJ’s removal

The main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has joined forces with four other political parties to protest the ongoing process to remove the Chief Justice.

Her Ladyship Gertrude Esaaba Torkornoo was suspended with immediate effect on Tuesday, April 22, by President John Dramani Mahama after a prima facie case was established—following consultations with the Council of State—on petitions brought against her.

According to the opposition parties, which include the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), National Democratic Party (NDP), People’s National Party (PNP), and the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), the move is a blatant disregard for the rule of law and a calculated attempt to undermine judicial independence.

In a joint statement dated April 25, the parties accused the ruling NDC of repeating a pattern of political interference in the judiciary.

“We must not remain silent.
This protest is a clarion call to all citizens: stand for justice, defend democracy, and protect our constitutional order,” the statement read in part.

It continued, “The disturbing trend of judicial intimidation by the NDC is not new. The pattern is undeniable. A case in reference is the NDC’s failed plot in 2010 to remove Ghana’s first female Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood.”

The parties called on independent institutions like the Christian Council of Ghana, the Peace Council, and the general public to join their call for President Mahama to halt the removal process.

They also alleged that the government is planning to remove the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and her deputies—an action they believe would be presided over by a handpicked Chief Justice.

“Even more concerning is what lies ahead: a covert plan to pursue constitutional interpretation at the Supreme Court once reconstituted with loyalist appointments to challenge the conventional reading of Article 66(2).

“The ultimate goal? To legitimize John Mahama’s bid for a third term as president in the 2028 general elections,” they claimed.