A growing number of political parties have declared their intention to join the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in a planned May 5 demonstration to protest the suspension of Ghana’s Chief Justice by the Mahama-led government.
The demonstration, which is expected to draw thousands, is being framed as a national call to defend the independence of the judiciary and safeguard the constitutional order.
The NPP argues that the abrupt removal of the Chief Justice is politically motivated and part of a broader effort to capture state institutions.
At a joint press briefing in Accra, representatives from several opposition parties, including the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), the Peoples National Party (PNP), the National Democratic Party (NDP) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have all lend their support for the coming demonstration.
The parties criticized the suspension as a “dangerous precedent” that undermines the rule of law.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has launched a scathing attack on the NDC government, accusing it of orchestrating a calculated assault on state institutions, particularly the judiciary, while laying the groundwork for what he described as a dangerous “third-term agenda.”
Afenyo-Markin described the suspension of the Chief Justice as a direct attack on Ghana’s judicial independence and called on all citizens to rise in defense of the Constitution.
“This is not just about one judge or one political party,” he said. “It is about protecting the institutional integrity of our Republic. Democracy without an independent judiciary is no democracy at all.”
According to Afenyo-Markin, the current administration, which assumed office on January 7, 2055, began its tenure with mass dismissals across the public sector, targeting youth, teachers, and nurses, only to replace experienced hands with party loyalists under the guise of a “reset agenda.”
Afenyo-Markin alleged the NDC’s ultimate goal is to weaken the judiciary and manipulate it to facilitate a future bid by the President to extend his stay in power beyond constitutional limits.
He further alleged that the government has politicized efforts to address illegal mining, saying the so-called “Gold Purchase Programme” is merely a front to institutionalize and fund galamsey operations under party control.
The lawmaker expressed grave concern over what he called the “purge” within the military and judiciary, claiming senior military officers were sacked without cause and judges are now being influenced, replaced, or promised positions based on political allegiance.
“We are seeing clear signs of court-packing. Seven new justices nominated at once, with no transparency, this is not reform; it’s a coup on judicial independence,” he warned.
“We invite all Ghanaians to join us in Monday’s peaceful demonstration,” he urged. “This is a fight for every citizen who believes in the rule of law. We must tell this government: the Constitution stands above your power.”
The demonstration, he said, will serve as a public declaration that Ghana’s democracy must not be sacrificed at the altar of political ambition.
