A coalition of some Ghanaian political parties has raised a red flag over what it describes as mounting threats to the country’s democratic framework, petitioning the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Lebanon to Ghana, H.E. Maher Kheir, for urgent international intervention.
The coalition—which comprises the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), and the People’s National Party (PNP)—is sounding the alarm over what it deems a concerted effort by the John Mahama-led administration to undermine the independence of the judiciary and intimidate political opposition.
In a petition addressed to Ambassador Maher Kheir and copied to members of the diplomatic corps, the political parties expressed grave concern over the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
They described the development as a constitutional manoeuvre cloaked in legality but ultimately intended to serve partisan interests. According to the coalition, the move is not an isolated event but rather part of a broader agenda to politically capture the judiciary, one of the last bastions of Ghana’s democratic checks and balances.
The petition cited the President’s decision on April 22, 2025, to suspend the Chief Justice following the submission of three petitions and the subsequent establishment of a five-member committee to investigate the matter.
Although the action falls within the parameters of the Constitution, the coalition argues that the context and timing cast doubt on its true intent.
Most notably, they pointed to the President’s rapid nomination of seven new justices to the Supreme Court in the wake of the suspension, suggesting a deliberate strategy to reshape the court in the government’s favour.
The coalition warned that these developments could severely erode public confidence in the judiciary and upset the delicate balance of power within Ghana’s constitutional order.
They noted that Ghana, long regarded as a beacon of democratic stability in a region troubled by coups and political upheavals, now risks slipping into the same instability that has afflicted its neighbors, including Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
President’s Past Comment
The parties underscored their concerns by recalling statements made by President Mahama in 2023, during his time as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer.
In those remarks, the coalition alleged that President Mahama accused the previous government of filling the judiciary with partisan judges and openly encouraged NDC-aligned lawyers to prepare for future appointments to the bench.
For the petitioners, such comments reveal a longstanding ambition to transform the judiciary into a political instrument—a vision now allegedly being pursued through the suspension of the Chief Justice and the stacking of the Supreme Court with loyalists.
Allegations of Political Intimidation
Beyond the judicial crisis, the petition also raised the alarm over a broader pattern of political intimidation targeting opposition voices. According to the coalition, the Mahama administration has increasingly weaponized state institutions to suppress dissent through arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, and trumped-up investigations.
These actions, the coalition argued, amount to political witch-hunting and run contrary to Ghana’s democratic principles, including the right to due process and freedom of political association.
The petitioners appealed to Ambassador Maher Kheir to use his influential position as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps to rally international attention to the crisis and urge the government to reverse course.
Specifically, they called for the immediate reinstatement of Chief Justice Torkornoo, a public commitment to judicial independence, and a cessation of all politically motivated legal actions against opposition figures.
They further encouraged the diplomatic community to deepen its engagement with Ghanaian civil society, political actors, and government agencies to promote transparency and ensure that democratic institutions operate free of interference.
Emphasising their trust in the Ambassador’s dedication to democratic values, the coalition expressed hope that the international community would act promptly to protect Ghana’s democratic integrity.
Responding to the petition, Ambassador Maher Kheir acknowledged receipt and assured the delegation of his commitment to addressing their concerns.
He pledged to convey the issues raised to the broader diplomatic community and affirmed that the matter would be treated with the urgency it warrants.
The Ambassador’s response, while measured, signals that the concerns of the political coalition will not go unnoticed within diplomatic circles.
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