Martin Kpebu, the Private legal practitioner, has explained that former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo does not qualify for the Council of State member .
According to Martin Kpebu, Gertrude Torkornoo cannot be considered for appointment to the Council of State following the resignation of Sophia Akuffo.
He argued that Torkornoo does not qualify because she was removed from constitutional office on grounds of misconduct, which makes her ineligible for future appointments.
Speaking on TV3’s Keypoints on June 20, 2026, Martin Kpebu explained, “Torkornoo does not qualify for this position or to be an option to serve in this position. Once it’s misconduct, she doesn’t qualify. She didn’t serve the term”.
“We have the letter of the law… and from Supreme Court decisions we have the values of the Constitution, probity, accountability, and transparency.
“When a person has been found not to have discharged the accountability role well and is forcibly removed from a constitutional office like that, next time we are looking for people to serve people who occupied that constitutional office to serve on committees, etc. The one who didn’t execute the constitution properly would not be chosen, so in that scope,” he added.
Lawyer Kpebu further explained that Georgina Wood is likely to replace Sophia Akuffo on the Council of State.
“Anin-Yeboah is seen as too NPP-inclined. Wood is a moderate, so in political terms, you call Wood a dove and then call Anin-Yeboah”, he added.
In other news, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of Government Communications, has refuted claims that the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, resigned from the Council of State in protest over the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
According to Kwakye Ofosu, such allegations are speculative and not supported by any official communication from Sophia Akuffo.
He highlighted that the former Chief Justice, who is well noted for being outspoken and highly principled, would have boldly stated whether the removal of Gertrude Torkornoo was the reason for her resignation.
Addressing the media during a Government Accountability Series held in Accra on Monday, June 15, Kwakye Ofosu stated, “The former Chief Justice is known for being outspoken and highly principled. When she disagreed with the DDEP, she went on a public manifestation and demonstrated. If she had resigned as a result of Torkornoo’s removal, she would have stated, or she would have found some means to let you know.
“And so it is most unfair to ascribe motives to her when she has not communicated same. Government, as a matter of record, has not received any communication from her in respect of that. She didn’t say that in her letter of resignation.”
Also, Felix Kwakye Ofosu has announced that President John Mahama has accepted Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo’s resignation from the Council of State.
According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Sophia Akuffo has officially ceased to be a member of the Council of State.
Addressing journalists on Monday, June 15, Felix Kwakye Ofosu confirmed that the resignation process had been concluded and that steps were underway to appoint a replacement.
He revealed that Sophia Akuffo did not provide reasons for her decision to resign.
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, addressing the media, stated, “I can confirm that indeed, Justice Sophia A.B. Akuffo has resigned from her position as a member of the Council of State. She submitted a letter in September 2025 to the President indicating her desire to resign. She did not disclose the reason for wanting to resign”.
“When the President received the letter, he was required then to indicate his acceptance of her resignation. But at the behest of the Council of State, he had to hold on because they said they wanted to engage Justice Sophia Akuffo to see if there was some grievance that she had that was informing the resignation and whether or not there was a way that it could be addressed,” he explained.
“But they went back and said that they had engaged and, as far as they were concerned, the resignation could be accepted. So, the President has formally accepted her resignation, and she is no longer a member of the Council of State,” he added.
He further disclosed, “The law is clear on what processes to undertake to replace her, and that is going on as we speak. So, in due course, a replacement will be announced for Justice Sophia Akuffo,” he said.
@ghnow_ Lawyer Serwaa Amihere meets Shatta Wale at the Accra High Court #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
