By Franklin Asare-Donkoh
The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), National Democratic Party (NDP), People’s National Party (PNP), and the Ghana Union Movement (GUM) has announced Monday, May 5, 2025, as the date for a nationwide protest against what they describe as the controversial suspension and attempted removal of Chief Justice Her Ladyship Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
In a joint statement issued after an emergency coalition meeting on Thursday, April 24, 2025, the parties condemned what they called the “unlawful” action, describing it as “an attack on the very soul of our democracy.”
According to the group, the suspension reflects a disturbing trend of judicial interference, allegedly orchestrated by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
They cited a purported failed attempt by the NDC in 2010 to remove then-Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, stating, “History is being repeated.”
“This protest is a clarion call to all citizens: stand for justice, defend democracy, and protect our constitutional order. We will not allow political power to erode the foundations of our republic,” the statement read.
The parties accused the NDC of attempting to take control of all arms of government and warned that the Chief Justice’s removal could mark the beginning of a broader scheme to undermine key state institutions.
The group also claimed intelligence gathered within political circles suggests there are efforts underway to remove the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and her deputies, allegedly to pave the way for full political control.
They expressed fear over what they described as a covert plan to reconstitute the Supreme Court with loyalist judges, to enable a possible third-term presidential bid by John Dramani Mahama in 2028—an attempt they say would challenge the conventional interpretation of Article 66(2) of the Constitution.
The parties, who were part of the losing side in the 2024 elections, insisted that the planned protest is not politically motivated.
“This is not about politics; it is about principle,” the statement continued. “It is about saying no to impunity… This is a fight for Ghana. This is a fight for our future. This is a fight for justice,” they reiterated.
The coalition also criticized the Mahama administration for what they called politically motivated job terminations in the public service. They warned that the trend signals a return to “a regime of fear, where livelihoods are sacrificed on the altar of political vengeance.”
They concluded, “To remain indifferent in the face of such developments is to silently endorse the erosion of our democratic foundations and the rise of an authoritarian state,” while calling on civil society, faith-based groups, and the general public to join the protest.
The protest is expected to take place simultaneously across major cities, with organizers vowing to rally Ghanaians in defense of judicial independence and democratic integrity.
“Be a citizen, not a spectator. Stand for democracy. Oppose dictatorship,” the statement concluded.
