Even Some of Your NDC Ex-MPs Were Appointed Judges . . . Your Comment Is Very 'Unpresidential'! - NPP MP Replies Mahama

NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Bortianor-Ngleshie-Amanfrom, Sylvester Tetteh, has slammed former President John Dramani Mahama over his call to purportedly remove the Chief Justice.

Mr. Mahama, addressing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Lawyers’ Conference on Sunday August 28, said the current leadership of the Judiciary lacks the qualities to redeem its 'sinking' image.

“So badly has the image of our Judiciary deteriorated that many of our citizenry openly make mockery of our justice system and of our justices. The phrase ‘Go to Court’ is these days met with derisive laughter, instead of hope that one will truly get justice.”

“There is, therefore, the urgent need for the Ghanaian Judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry, and erase the widely held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest courts of the land.”

“Unfortunately, we have no hope that the current leadership of our Judiciary can lead such a process of change. We can only hope, that a new Chief Justice will lead the process to repair the broken image that our Judiciary has acquired over the last few years,” he added.

But his comments have aroused sentiments from the political divide and with the Bortianor-Ngleshie-Amanfrom MP resenting the conduct of the former President.

He described Mr. Mahama's remarks as "unpresidential" and "unfair to the intelligence" of Ghanaians.

The MP questioned the former President's logic in attacking the reputation of the Chief Justice when during his 2020 Presidential election petition, it was the same Judiciary that he sought to deliver justice on the election conflict.

"In 2012, when we went to the Supreme Court, these Judges were the ones who retained verdict for you. When they same Supreme Court and the same system rendered for another person, then they become bad people. I think it's unfair to the intelligence of all of us as Ghanaians."

"Now, he is seeking to be President of this country . . . Is he saying that when he comes, how is he going to remove the Chief Justice?", he alarmingly asked.

Sylvester Tetteh, in his reactions to Mahama's comments, also revealed that some of the Judges shared allegiance with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a party that he (Mahama) belongs to and once led.

He exclaimed, "we have list of Judges who were NDC MPs. They appointed them onto the High Court of this country; former members of NDC . . . I can mention about five or six of them who were former Members of Parliament on the ticket of the NDC" and called on the Ex-President to be measured in his utterances at the Judiciary, with particular reference to the Chief Justice.

He said this during a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo".