Private legal practitioner and a member of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Justice Abdulai, has thrown his support behind the decision by President John Dramani Mahama to suspend Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, insisting the action is constitutionally justified and backed by proper legal procedure.
His comments come in reaction to a resolution passed by the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), which described the suspension as unconstitutional and without legal basis under the 1992 Constitution, calling for its immediate revocation.
However, speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, May 3, Justice Abdulai dismissed the GBA’s position and questioned its legal foundation.
” I completely disagree with the resolution and every single letter in the resolution that was passed,” he stated.
According to him, the president and the Council of State acted within the law and took into account all relevant responses, including that of the Chief Justice.
“The response of the CJ is not ordinarily supposed to form part of the basis for the determination whether or not a prima facie case has been made. However, in this particular case, considering that these advances were made and accepted by the president.
“It means that the Council of State and the president took into consideration the response of the CJ and came to the determination that indeed, a prima facie case has been determined,” he revealed.
Read Also >>> John Mahama is right, NPP populating state institutions with cronies – Kwakye Ofosu
In a related story, Economic Advisor to the Vice President, Prof Sharif Khalid Mahmud, has criticised the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) over its position on the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, calling it “disappointing and appalling.
Commenting on the issue on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, May 3, Prof Khalid expressed dismay at what he sees as the GBA’s declining influence in upholding democratic principles and legal integrity.
He reflected on the association’s historical significance, noting that during Ghana’s struggles for independence, constitutional rule, and democracy, the GBA was considered one of the country’s most critical institutions—alongside the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS).
“To such an extent that people, fair-minded people, even thought that the GBA was a constitutional arm of government,” Prof Khalid remarked.
He added: “That is how powerful they were. That is how critical they were. That is how their voice of reasoning was in the minds of Ghanaians.”
However, he lamented that the association’s current stance on Chief Justice Torkornoo’s suspension lacked the assertiveness and integrity expected of such a distinguished body.
He likened the GBA’s response to “vanilla of hot air,” questioning its consistency in addressing legal matters.
Prof Khalid further compared the situation to past controversies, particularly referencing the removal of former Electoral Commission Chairperson Charlotte Osei.
He suggested that the GBA had shown bias by remaining silent on Osei’s case while taking a more pronounced position on the current matter.
Read Also >>>> President Mahama in Libreville for Swearing-In of Gabon’s President-Elect
“When the issue of Charlotte Osei occurred, did we hear a cough from the biased GBA?” he questioned, implying discrepancies in the association’s actions.
