“Suspended CJ Was NPP’s Last Protective Covering” — Yaw Asani Tano Alleges Political Motive Behind Justice Torkornoo’s Appointment

/ The Liberal Party of Ghana’s National Organiser claims the NPP strategically elevated Justice Torkornoo to secure long-term judicial influence beyond its time in office.

০ Strategic Appointment Claim: LPG’s Yaw Asani Tano alleges Justice Torkornoo’s elevation was politically calculated, not merit-based.

০ Supreme Court Dismisses Injunction: Justice Torkornoo’s legal attempt to stop a presidential inquiry into her suspension was unanimously rejected.

০ Judicial Impartiality Under Scrutiny: The controversy adds to ongoing debates about the judiciary's independence amid political transitions.

 

Yaw Asani Tano alleges political motive in Justice Torkornoo’s rise, calling the suspended CJ
the NPP’s final shield.

The National Organiser of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Yaw Asani Tano, has stirred political debate by questioning the legitimacy and motivation behind the appointment of suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo.

Speaking in an interview on Peace FM, Tano accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of strategically appointing Justice Torkornoo to maintain long-term influence over the judiciary — even after leaving power. According to him, she was not the most senior justice at the time of her elevation, allegedly ranking seventh in seniority within the judiciary.

“If you look at their seniority system, it was not her time to be Chief Justice. She was elevated due to her age and the longer period until her retirement. That’s a long-term strategy. Even if the NPP is out of power, she will still be there,” Tano claimed.

Describing the judiciary as the “last protective covering” for the outgoing ruling party, he implied that Justice Torkornoo’s appointment was less about judicial excellence and more about political preservation.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on May 28, 2025, delivered a unanimous decision rejecting an injunction application filed by the suspended Chief Justice. Justice Torkornoo had sought to halt the activities of a six-member presidential committee formed by President John Dramani Mahama to investigate multiple petitions for her removal from office.

READ ALSO: “The gun has returned to where it used to be” - NDC Ends Five-Year Boycott of Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ Morning Show

Filed on May 21, 2025, her application requested an interlocutory injunction to prevent the committee from initiating any investigative proceedings until her substantive challenge to the legality of the process was resolved.

Among those Justice Torkornoo sought to restrain or disqualify from the committee’s proceedings were Justices Gabriel Scott Pwamang and Samuel Kwame Adibu-Asiedu, as well as Daniel Yao Domelevo, Major Flora Bazuwaaruah Dalugo, and Professor James Sefah Dziasah.

Despite the legal pushback, the court dismissed her appeal, clearing the way for the presidential inquiry to proceed.

As Ghana approaches another pivotal election season, the incident adds fresh fuel to ongoing discussions about the independence and politicization of the judiciary — and the broader implications for the country’s democracy.

The NDC communicator thought he was on Onua TV with Captain Smart as the host, so he chose to speak rubb!sh and leave;
he is incapable of engaging in intellectual discussions.
Such a c10wn 🤡 pic.twitter.com/EPYIz6hhgx

— Yawa (@DontdoYawa) June 22, 2025

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