By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Justice Abdulai, a lawyer and law lecturer at the UPSA Law School, has emphasized the importance of upholding due process in matters of public accountability, cautioning against political bias in defending or condemning public officials.
Speaking on GBC’s Current Agenda, he recalled past instances where public officers were subjected to removal processes, including cases in 2015, noting that such procedures tested the strength of Ghana’s democratic institutions.
“When officials are investigated or removed, it should not be about whether one belongs to a political party or not. It must always be about due process and the rule of law,” he stated.
Justice Abdulai pointed out that while some removals were conducted lawfully and accepted by the public, others drew controversy because of perceptions of bias and selective justice. He stressed that constructive criticism, rather than blind defense or outright condemnation, should guide public discourse.
Drawing comparisons with the United Kingdom, he argued that even prime ministers have been forced out of office through established legal and political processes, showing that accountability is not negotiable in strong democracies.
“We should not trivialize constitutional procedures or reduce them to partisan battles. Once a lawful process is followed, society must respect the outcome,” he explained.
Justice Abdulai warned that if political parties only defend their own officials while condemning others for similar offenses, public trust in institutions will continue to erode.
He concluded that Ghana’s democracy can only grow stronger if both leaders and citizens commit to the principles of fairness, accountability, and the supremacy of the Constitution.
