The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and four other opposition parties have accused President John Dramani Mahama of scheming to fill the Supreme Court with NDC loyalists in a bid to push for a third presidential term in 2028.
In a joint statement dated April 25, the parties alleged that the government’s ultimate goal is to reconstitute the apex court with loyal appointees who will back a constitutional interpretation of Article 66(2) in favour of Mahama’s eligibility for a third term.
“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.
The opposition groups also accused the President of plotting to remove the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and her deputies, an action they say would be carried out under a handpicked Chief Justice.
Their concerns follow the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Esaaba Torkornoo by President Mahama on Tuesday, April 22, after a prima facie case was established—based on consultations with the Council of State—on petitions filed against her.
The NPP, along with the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), National Democratic Party (NDP), People’s National Party (PNP), and Ghana Union Movement (GUM), described the removal move as a blatant disregard for the rule of law and an attempt to destroy judicial independence.
“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 statement said.
They called on the Christian Council of Ghana, the Peace Council, and the general public to rise against what they described as a dangerous encroachment on 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,” they noted.
