The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called for the immediate resignation of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, accusing him of making partisan political comments that could undermine public confidence in the independence of the Judiciary.
The party’s demand follows remarks the Chief Justice made during a visit to the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) on Wednesday, September 2, where he praised the performance of MIIF and other state institutions and questioned what Ghana had been doing over the previous eight years.
The NPP interpreted the comments as favourable comparisons between the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration and the previous NPP government. It also criticised the Chief Justice for comments about ensuring that the President’s agenda succeeds.
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 3, the NPP argued that such remarks were inconsistent with the constitutional requirement for judicial independence and the obligation of judges to administer justice without fear, favour, affection or ill will.
The party expressed concern that the Chief Justice’s alleged political commentary and interactions with government officials could affect perceptions of his impartiality, particularly in cases involving the Executive and members of the opposition.
The NPP also questioned the implications of his remarks for prosecutions linked to the government’s Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative, especially where NPP members are involved.
Beyond the alleged political comments, the party accused the Chief Justice of failing to adequately address poor infrastructure in some courts while becoming increasingly involved in activities involving state agencies.
The NPP has demanded that the Chief Justice retract what it described as partisan comments and his pledge of support for the President’s agenda. It said that if he is unwilling to do so, he should resign and formally join the NDC.
The party also called on President John Dramani Mahama to fill the vacant Council of State position and said it would organise a major press conference to present what it described as the full record of the Chief Justice’s conduct.
The allegations made by the NPP have not been independently established. The Chief Justice and the Judicial Service had not publicly responded to the party’s claims at the time of the statement.