Veteran journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has taken a swipe at the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), accusing them of wasting everybody’s time and stoking needless political tension with unfounded claims about a supposed third-term ambition by President John Mahama.
Mr. Pratt’s comment comes following the Supreme Court dismissal of an injunction application filed by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, seeking to stop the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana with host Moro Awudu, Mr. Pratt expressed disbelief over comments made by the NPP’s Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, during a previous appearance on the same show.
“I was on the same platform with Richard Ahiagbah, who openly said that the NPP isn’t worried about the constitution; it’s just politics. He said that if the law is followed, it is difficult to fault the President. This is deeply troubling,” Pratt said.
Mr. Pratt questioned the logic behind the NPP’s legal challenge regarding the removal of the Chief Justice, pointing out that even party communicators admit the matter isn’t grounded in law.
“They’re in court over a dream that Mahama may declare a third term someday. Why waste the court’s time and the nation’s time with such issue?” he quizzed.
He added that the NPP’s insistence that the President is merely a “conveyor belt” following constitutional procedure under Article 146 further undermines their own legal argument.
“If you have a bad dream and decide to hold the whole country to ransom over it, then something is wrong. Has Mahama ever said he’s running for a third term? There’s nothing in the Constitution suggesting that,” he stressed.
Responding to Pratt’s critique, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko, MP for Kwadaso, insisted there are legitimate constitutional concerns.
He pointed to former President Mahama’s past comment that a new Chief Justice would be required to restore the image of the judiciary, citing a publication by MyJoyOnline.
Dr. Nyarko argued that this statement hints at a possible political agenda to replace the Chief Justice, which, he claimed, raises red flags about Mahama’s intentions.
“This isn’t just politics. The President’s posture and past comments suggest constitutional violations, and that’s what we’re worried about,” he noted.
