The Office of the President has strongly rejected claims by the suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkonoo that her removal from office is politically motivated.
At a press briefing in Accra, Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government’s Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, firmly dismissed the claims, describing them as unfortunate, unfounded, and damaging to the integrity of the ongoing constitutional process.
His comments came in response to a media engagement held by the suspended Chief Justice, who questioned the motives behind the petition and subsequent processes being undertaken to investigate her conduct.
According to the suspended Chief Justice, there are signs of a calculated political agenda aimed at ousting her from office. But the Presidency has flatly denied such insinuations, asserting that President John Dramani Mahama has acted strictly in accordance with the dictates of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Article 146, which governs the removal of justices.
Hon. Kwakye Ofosu noted that while the government had initially refrained from public commentary on the matter—out of respect for the confidentiality provisions under the Constitution—the suspended Chief Justice’s statements necessitated a formal response to correct misleading impressions.
“Ordinarily, if the matters were left to the content of the petition and the processes being undertaken by the committee, we will not have cause to comment because those are matters beyond the purview of the president or the government but a number of things were said at the media engagements that if left uncorrected, could create an erroneous impression and project government in a very unfair, unjust, unoriented lights”.
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
He emphasised that the President’s actions so far had been “by the book” and without any breach of constitutional provisions.
According to him, since the commencement of the process, nobody has been able to ascribe any known verifiable constitutional breach to the President’s conduct, adding that all steps taken thus far have been consistent with both the spirit and letter of the Constitution.
Commitment to the Rule of Law
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the rule of law, Hon. Kwakye Ofosu said the President had no option but to act on the petitions presented to him, as required by law.
“He cannot ignore such petitions simply because of the personality involved. If he did, that would be a direct breach of the Constitution. President Mahama took an oath, administered by none other than the Chief Justice herself, to uphold and defend the Constitution. That is exactly what he is doing.”
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
Responding to the Chief Justice’s claims of political targeting, the presidential spokesperson unequivocally denied it, insisting on constitutional compliance.
“Let me place on record, without fear of contradiction, that no such political agenda exists. The President has no personal interest in this process. He has not orchestrated or engineered anything beyond responding to his constitutional duty.”
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
He also took issue with what he described as a “sacred cow mentality,” arguing that no public official, no matter how high-ranking, is above the law.
“Every single public official from the president to the speaker, to the chief justice, to the supreme court judges, to ministers, to all public office holders is bound by the provisions of Ghanaian law. Indeed, it was the former Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, who once said that when you join the game, you play by the rules. So no public official is allowed to raise him/herself above the laws of Ghana.
“It does not matter how sensitive your position is; once Ghanaian law dictates that certain processes be undertaken in respect of some alleged misconduct, the rules must come into play.”
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
For him, the spirit and letters of the 1992 Constitution are the only guiding principles that President Mahama has operated by throughout the process.
He denounced any claim, inference, inuendos or any imputation of a political motive to the President in respect of the processes, describing such claims as unfounded without any reasonable merit.
Suspended CJ’s Intimidation Claims Denounced
The spokesperson also found fault with attempts made by the suspended Chief Justice and some of her supporters to link the current process to the brutal killing of three High Court judges and a military officer in the 1980s, an episode that remains one of the darkest in Ghana’s judicial history.
“There is absolutely no nexus between the petitions brought against the Chief Justice and those tragic events. To draw such a parallel is not only disingenuous but also deeply irresponsible. It clouds the issue and introduces needless emotional baggage into what should be a legal and constitutional process.”
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
He addressed claims about the venue of the proceedings—the Adu Lodge near the Osu Castle—described by the suspended Chief Justice as an “intimidating location.”
According to Hon. Kwakye Ofosu, the facility was not chosen by the government but by the committee itself, which requested a secure and adequately equipped location for its confidential hearings.
“The Adu Lodge is a state facility routinely used to house visiting dignitaries and to conduct official business. There’s nothing intimidating about it. It is neither secret nor restricted and is surrounded by private residences. The attempt to paint it otherwise is simply misplaced.”
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
Protecting the Integrity of the Process
Hon. Kwakye Ofosu further clarified that the use of security measures around the venue is entirely in line with the need to protect the integrity of the in-camera proceedings, as required by Article 146(8) of the Constitution.
“I believe that even if the hearings were held at the court’s premises, it would still be under significant security controls to ensure that only authorised persons have access to the place. So to describe Adu Lodge in the terms that her leadership, the chief justice, did was most unfair and unjustifiable.
“It seeks to obscure the process and bring in unrelated matters that seek to cast some aspersions or ill motives on government for affording the committee a place to do its work”.
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
The spokesperson also touched on the issue of media leaks surrounding the petition and related correspondence, firmly rejecting suggestions that the presidency was responsible.
“The very first leak came from a letter the Chief Justice herself wrote to the Presidency, even before it was received. The President had to instruct his Executive Secretary to mark subsequent documents to prevent any future leaks. So to blame the presidency is not only inaccurate—it’s unfair.”
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
He also pointed out that media houses closely aligned with the opposition were the first to publish the contents of the petition, suggesting that any agenda to weaponise the issue was not coming from the government. “The government has remained disciplined and respectful of the constitutional process. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of others,” he noted.
In his concluding remarks, Hon. Kwakye Ofosu reiterated that President Mahama remains fully committed to due process and will not be swayed by personal relationships or political pressure.
“The President has no vendetta. He has shown restraint and integrity throughout. We are not in the business of victimising anyone. This is about the Constitution, not personalities.”
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
He urged Ghanaians to remain calm and allow the committee established under Article 146 to complete its work without interference or undue commentary.
“The Constitution must be respected in full, whether it is dealing with an ordinary citizen or the Chief Justice of the Republic. That is what democracy and the rule of law demand.”
Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister for Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson
The Presidency’s firm response appears aimed at restoring public confidence in the impartiality of the constitutional process, while drawing a clear line between legitimate legal procedures and what it views as unnecessary politicisation of a sensitive matter.
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