Former Attorney-General Martin Amidu has strongly cautioned President John Mahama against accepting any resignation from Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo while the constitutional process for her possible removal remains active.
Amidu’s remarks form part of a detailed opinion piece in which he rejects growing suspicions and whispers suggesting political interference behind the wave of petitions filed against the embattled Chief Justice.
“There are foul whisperings abroad by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and others, without the production of any evidence, that the series of petitions by citizens for the removal of the justice of the superior court under discussion in this discourse have been engineered by the President and the NDC to get rid of an unwanted adversary for purely political reasons without any iota of evidence grounding the petitions,” Amidu stated.
He warned that any premature acceptance of the Chief Justice’s resignation could reinforce those suspicions and discredit the constitutional process.
“President Mahama will only be confirming these foul whisperings abroad should he contravene his oath of office and accept any resignation from the respondent during the pendency of the removal process without allowing the appointed Committee to complete its work and submit its recommendations to him to act upon as required under the Constitution.”
For Amidu, upholding the integrity of the legal process is paramount—even if the respondent ultimately steps down.
“It is more honourable for the respondent to resign after an acquittal by the Committee than the President creating the appearance that the petitioners were actuated by selfish motives of just getting an innocent justice of the superior court out of office under the guise of genuinely petitioning for her removal on provable grounds of misbehaviour and incompetence.”
Reiterating a metaphor he has previously invoked in his writings, Amidu warned that cutting the process short would only invite future consequences.
“The snake is already wounded and may next time do more damage to the petitioners should the processes be truncated by an unconstitutional abuse of power by the President in accepting any resignation while the hearing at the Committee is pending. History does not repeat itself but it rhymes.”
