A member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, Hamza Suhuyini, has slammed the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) for calling on President John Dramani Mahama to reverse the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, describing the request as politically driven and devoid of any legal merit.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Wednesday, April 30, Suhuyini questioned the neutrality of the GBA, following its April 26 statement, which described the President’s action as unconstitutional and without basis under Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
“I am convinced that the President will not glorify the Ghana Bar Association with any response. In less than 24 hours, the GBA has gone under the guard of resolution to more or less betray the caution they exercised in their earlier statement.
“The only explanation behind such a U-turn is partisan. It is not the law. The only reason behind a quick U-turn by the Ghana Bar Association is politics,” Suhuyini said.
He further defended the President’s actions, insisting that the suspension of the Chief Justice was grounded in constitutional procedures.
“His Excellency the President has acted in line with the constitutional dictate of Article 146. Whatever decision he has taken, ranging from receiving the petition, forwarding the same to the Council of State and the suspended Chief Justice, and the eventual discovery of the prima facie case are prescribed under the 1992 Constitution,” he explained.
The Ghana Bar Association had earlier called on the President to revoke the suspension of Chief Justice Torkornoo, arguing that the move lacked a legal foundation under Article 146(10) of the Constitution.
According to the Association, the suspension was carried out without any published Constitutional Instrument, Statutory Instrument, or regulation governing the exercise of that presidential discretion, in violation of Article 296 of the Constitution.
-citinewsroom
