Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo Markin has strongly criticised President John Mahama’s recent nomination. Seven Court of Appeal judges were nominated to the Supreme Court. He calls it a subtle attempt to push for a third term in office.
Afenyo-Markin spoke during a press conference hosted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Thursday, May 1. He warned about the significant threat posed by this move. It endangers the balance of power and independence of Ghana’s judiciary.
“This is not a routine judicial appointment. What we are witnessing is a calculated and deliberate attempt to fill the Supreme Court with loyalists,” he remarked.
“The nomination of seven Court of Appeal judges, immediately following the suspension of the Chief Justice, points to a deeper, more concerning political agenda—essentially, a third-term plan under the guise of judicial appointments,” he added.
The Minority Leader accused the president of undermining democratic governance and the core principles of the Constitution. He suggested that such actions could diminish public confidence in the judiciary and destabilise Ghana’s democratic institutions.
“This is not the way a responsible government strengthens the rule of law. This is how a government seeks to consolidate its power through indirect means,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
He urged civil society, religious leaders, and the general public to stay alert. He encouraged them to speak out against what he described as an attack on the judiciary.
“We cannot afford to remain silent. This is a national issue that transcends political parties. The integrity of our justice system is in jeopardy, and we must resist any efforts to turn it into a political instrument,” he concluded.
