Mahama’s Comments On Pro-NPP Judges Riles Sophia Akuffo: “Unnecessary Pressure”

• Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has hit back at former president John Mahama over his claim of partisan judges
• Akuffo said such comments made by the former president put unnecessary pressure on Ghana’s judiciary
• The former Chief Justice said no one has produced evidence of such judges on political party platforms

A former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, has hit back at former president John Mahama over his criticism of President Akufo-Addo for allegedly stacking the courts with partisan judges.

Akuffo said comments like that were upsetting to her and unnecessary.

Speaking during an interview on Asaase Radio, Akuffo said there was no real evidence of such judges on partisan platforms.

“It always upsets me when you get comments like oh this one is NPP judge, oh this one is NDC and yet you have never seen the person on any party’s rally or platforms.”

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“And these are some of the unnecessary pressures that are out on the judiciary. What difference will that tag make to me, my career and my work. … sometimes it gets to you,” Akuffo added.

Akufo-Addo condemns Mahama

YEN.com.gh also reported that President Akufo-Addo also condemned Mahama over claims courts were being stacked with pro-NPP judges.

The president said Mahama’s comments were very dangerous to the stability of Ghana’s democracy.

"Not only are these concepts new in our public discourse but they are also extremely dangerous and represent the brazen attack on the independence of the judiciary by allegedly responsible politicians,” he said.

What Mahama said at an NDC forum

Mahama’s comments about partisanship in the judiciary were made during an NDC lawyers conference in Akosombo on Saturday, September 2, 2023.

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He said President Akufo-Addo had appointed judges aligned to the NPP to influence certain decisions.

Mahama thus charged NDC lawyers to prepare themselves to take up positions on the bench to balance its composition.

Asiedu Nketia urges Ghanaians to drop NPP

YEN.com.gh reported earlier that the NDC chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said Ghanaians needed to vote out the NPP government in the next election.

Asiedu Nketia described the NPP as the greatest deception in Ghana’s recent democratic history.

The NDC chairman said the Akufo-Addo administration had allowed state capture in Ghanaian society.

Source: YEN.com.gh