The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly objected to the ongoing vetting of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie for the position of Chief Justice, describing the process as a direct threat to Ghana’s constitutional order and judicial independence.
In a statement signed by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP said it views the development as “a travesty” and vowed to “strongly condemn and publicly denounce its outcome.”
“The Constitution is the sacred covenant of the Ghanaian people, and we shall never relent in our duty to defend it,” the statement read.
The party argued that President John Dramani Mahama’s nomination of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie constitutes “a grave breach of constitutional order,” given that the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo remains the subject of multiple court cases.
According to the statement, seven substantive legal suits challenging the legality and procedure of Justice Torkornoo’s dismissal are currently pending before the Supreme Court, the High Court, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
“It is a cardinal principle of constitutional governance that where the legitimacy of a foundational state action is directly challenged before a competent court, the political branches must exercise restraint until the judiciary has discharged its constitutional mandate,” the NPP noted.
The party accused the Mahama administration of disregarding judicial due process, warning that proceeding with the appointment amounts to “a pre-emptive assault on the judicial function.”
The NPP also raised what it called a conflict of interest on the part of the nominee, claiming that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie previously presided over a case—Assafuah v. Attorney-General—which related to the status of the Chief Justice’s office.
“This situation engages the timeless principle of nemo judex in causa sua—that no person shall be a judge in their own cause,” the statement added, arguing that his acceptance of the nomination undermines public confidence in the judiciary.
While acknowledging Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s long and distinguished service on the bench, the NPP described his decision to accept the nomination as “a gross and detrimental failure of judicial leadership.”
The party further cautioned the Mahama administration against using political power to erode constitutional safeguards.
“Political majorities are transient, but constitutional principles are eternal,” the statement concluded, reaffirming the NPP’s commitment to defend Ghana’s constitutional democracy and uphold the rule of law.
 has strongly objected to the ongoing vetting of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie for the position of Chief Justice, describing the process as a direct threat to Ghana’s constitutional order and judicial independence.){kind=link}