Nomination of new judges to the Supreme Court is part of Mahama’s third-term agenda – Afenyo-Markin

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has strongly criticised President John Mahama’s nomination of seven Court of Appeal judges to the Supreme Court, calling it a veiled attempt to implement a “third-term agenda.”

Addressing the press during a New Patriotic Party (NPP) briefing on Thursday, May 1, the Minority Leader warned that the nominations made in the wake of the Chief Justice’s suspension threaten judicial independence and constitutional balance.

“This is not a routine judicial appointment. What we are witnessing is a strategic and deliberate effort to pack the Supreme Court with loyalists,” he asserted.

According to Afenyo-Markin, the timing and volume of the nominations signal an intentional bid to tilt the judiciary in favour of the executive, thereby eroding the impartiality of Ghana’s highest court. He argued that these actions are not only politically calculated but also risk damaging public trust in the justice system.

“The nomination of seven Appeals Court judges immediately after suspending the Chief Justice reveals a deeper, more dangerous political ambition a third-term agenda in disguise,” he stated, underscoring the potential long-term consequences for democratic governance.

He further urged civil society organisations, religious institutions, and the general public to resist what he described as an assault on judicial independence.

Emphasising the broader national implications beyond partisan interests, Afenyo-Markin called for public vigilance to safeguard democratic institutions.

“We must not be silent. This is a national issue that transcends partisan lines. The integrity of our justice system is at stake, and we must resist any attempt to convert it into a political tool,” he said.