Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader in Parliament, has expressed concern over the growing trend of retaliatory politics in Ghana.
According to Afenyo-Markin, Ghana must end the cycle of you do me, I do you politics.
He noted that a political party gain power only to take revenge on their opponents, which undermines democracy and could pose a threat to Ghana’s democratic stability.
Speaking to a gathering on September 4, 2025, Afenyo Markin stated, “The way our country has become today, it is like we get the power to come and show our opponents where the power lies. We are using the power for revenge.
When we [NPP] were in office, a few of us took it upon ourselves to rather build bridges to ensure that this extremist type of approach, where power is used to punish, attack and hurt others, are somewhat minimised”.
He added, “I would want to encourage our friends in government to eschew such a posture. The fact that it happened yesterday is not justification for it to be repeated.
“We must end the cycle of ‘you do me, I do you’. I’ve never been happy with some of these things. It doesn’t help our democracy”.
In related news, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has broken his silence following President John Dramani Mahama’s removal of the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office.
According to Afenyo-Markin, Ghana is mourning democracy following the dismissal of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
He noted that the government claimed it received three petitions, but has removed Justice Torkorno after receiving just one committee finding out of the three charges.
Speaking to journalists in Akwatia, during the ongoing by-election on Tuesday, September 2, Afenyo-Makrin stated, “We are mourning democracy. You claim that you have charges against the Chief Justice, so you are done with count 1, you have count 2 and 3 not done, and then you say you dismiss the person.
That is the work of the Pwamang Committee? That is what Pwamang did as a judge?”
However, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, a former Director of the Ghana School of Law, has said the people of Ghana must not be sad about the removal of the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, by President John Mahama.
According to Kwaku Ansa-Asare, Ghanaians should rather be happy and accept the fact that the 1992 constitution is working.
Speaking on The Pulse programme on JoyNews, Mr Ansa-Asare asserted, “If you allege that your constitutional rights are being violated, and you yourself as the head of the judiciary do not understand the ramifications of the Chief Justice removal process, you shoot yourself wrongly in the foot”.
He continued, “I don’t think that we should be sad about this; we should rather be happy. We should be happy that the constitution is working. This is a democracy.”
“If the President has to act, every step the President takes, he must act in accordance with the Constitution,” he said.
Kwaku Ansa-Asare further added that President Mahama has not contravened the constitutional process.
“So far, I have yet to be convinced that the President has contravened the constitutional process. No one has been able to pinpoint exactly where President Mahama has gotten it wrong”, he added.
Also, Prof Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, the University of Ghana law lecturer, has said the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo was a foregone conclusion.
According to Prof Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, President Mahama strictly adhered to constitutional provisions.
He asserted that, from the constitutional angle, due process was followed.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Pulse, Prof Appiagyei-Atua stated, “From the constitutional angle, due process was followed”.
“It was a foregone conclusion looking at the way proceedings went.”
“She had to fight for her rights,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, the Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has backed President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to sack the Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
According to Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, President Mahama acted in accordance with the Constitution.
Edudzi Tameklo likened President Mahama’s situation to that of Pontius Pilate, who was petitioned to crucify Jesus Christ.
He noted unlike Pontius Pilate, who had the option to wash his hands, President Mahama had no option done to follow the Committee’s recommendation to remove the Chief Justice.
Speaking on TV3’s Election Command Centre during the coverage of the Akwatia by-election, Godwin Edudzi Tameklo stated, “They had in it (Constitution) an Article called 146 which basically says our superior court judges are given what we call security of office, that is to say, you cannot remove them, unless on proven stated misbehaviour, incompetence, infirmity etc”.
He added, “What has happened basically is that President John Dramani Mahama finds himself in the position of Pontius Pilate where the Pharisees, Sadducees, and what have you had to present a petition and hear for the removal of the Chief Justice.”
“Basically, for the Constitution and how the Constitution has been interpreted over the period, the President is only a conveyor belt in the circumstance. And so again, like Pontius Pilate, what you would have to do is to consult the Council of State”
“In this case, you do not have the benefit of washing your hands. The Constitution clearly gives a duty, a duty is cast on the President to act in a particular manner. Having consulted the elders (Council of State), a prima facie case was determined against the Chief Justice, now removed,” he highlighted.