CJ Removal Not Politically Motivated – Felix Kwakye Ofosu Defends President Mahama’s Actions
Presidential Spokesperson, Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has firmly denied allegations by suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo that her removal is politically driven. Addressing the media on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, Kwakye Ofosu emphasised that President John Dramani Mahama has remained fully committed to constitutional procedures.
“President Has Kept Fidelity to the Constitution”
Responding to Justice Torkornoo’s claims during her earlier press briefing, Kwakye Ofosu stated:
“The President has kept fidelity to the Constitution from the beginning. No such political agenda has occurred.”
He stressed that the President has followed the processes outlined in Article 146 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution regarding the removal of high-ranking judicial officers, and has refrained from injecting personal opinion or influence into the matter.
“Any claim, any inference of a political motive to the President in respect of these processes are unfounded, false and cannot be allowed to stand,” he added.
Kwakye Ofosu further clarified that President Mahama took an oath of office—administered by none other than Chief Justice Torkornoo herself—to uphold the Constitution, and has remained faithful to that oath throughout the process.
Torkornoo Pushes Back Against Removal Process
Earlier in the day, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo had addressed the nation, accusing unnamed political forces of orchestrating her removal and violating due process. She described the proceedings as “flawed, unknown and opaque.”
“If I resign under these circumstances, I will be saying that this flawed, unknown and opaque process is acceptable. It is not,” she said.
Justice Torkornoo, who is the first sitting Chief Justice to be subjected to such a removal process in Ghana’s history, has vowed not to step down voluntarily, asserting that doing so would validate what she describes as an unlawful process.
Tensions Rise Over Judiciary Independence
The ongoing controversy has sparked widespread national debate over judicial independence, executive interference, and the proper interpretation of constitutional safeguards. Civil society organisations, legal experts, and political commentators have begun weighing in, with calls for greater transparency and public oversight.
While Justice Torkornoo warns of a dangerous precedent, government spokespersons are urging calm and assuring Ghanaians that all constitutional checks are being observed.
As the process unfolds, public attention remains sharply focused on both the legal merits and the political implications of this unprecedented episode in Ghana’s democratic history.
Read Also: “This is a Threat to Judicial Independence” – Suspended Chief Justice Torkornoo Speaks Out
