Former Sekondi MP, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has taken aim at what he describes as deep-seated hypocrisy in Ghana’s political space, urging for consistency and principle in the discourse surrounding the removal of public officials.
Appearing on Joy News’ PM Express, Mercer used the current controversy involving Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo to highlight what he sees as a pattern of selective outrage and political double standards. Drawing comparisons to the 2018 dismissal of former Electoral Commission Chair, Charlotte Osei, Mercer noted that many critics of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) are now adopting the very tactics they once condemned.
He questioned the moral authority of those who cried foul over Osei’s removal but appear to support similar processes against Justice Torkornoo. “Those who said her removal was wrongful—how do they justify the removal of the Chief Justice at this point? Where is the principle?” Mercer asked pointedly.
Mercer emphasized that governance must be anchored in fairness and not expediency. He contended that political parties should demonstrate moral leadership, especially when in power, rather than replicating actions they previously opposed. “If you believed Charlotte Osei’s removal was improper, then you shouldn’t replicate the same when you have the reins of government,” he argued.
He warned that such double standards risk undermining Ghana’s democratic foundations and eroding public trust in institutions. “If every justification becomes ‘the other side did it,’ then we lose direction as a nation,” Mercer stated.
The former MP called on political leaders and the citizenry to move away from reactionary partisanship and instead embrace a governance culture grounded in consistency, accountability, and honesty.
