The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is accusing the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of systematically capturing key state institutions, particularly the Judiciary, following what it describes as the unlawful removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkonoo.

Speaking at the launch of the NPP’s Amended 2025 Constitution, General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua alleged that the government is tightening its grip on state institutions to influence court cases, overturn legitimately lost parliamentary seats, and weaken democratic checks and balances.

“Unfortunately, the Judiciary, which is supposed to be the last vanguard of the rule of law, has suddenly been captured by the Executive, particularly after the unlawful removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkonoo,” he said.

Kodua further claimed that judges are increasingly afraid to deliver rulings strictly based on the law due to possible retaliation from the Executive.

“Some judges now invoke the chilling words of dictators like Idi Amin: ‘You may have freedom of speech, but freedom after speech cannot be guaranteed.’”

He also accused some judges of assuming jurisdiction where none exists and issuing politically questionable rulings in parliamentary matters.

The NPP General Secretary warned that these developments pose a grave threat to Ghana’s democratic stability and urged civil society, the clergy, and the international community to take note of what he called creeping authoritarianism.

Kodua added that nearly a year into the NDC’s administration, the country is witnessing escalating abuse of incumbency and state-sponsored intimidation of political opponents, pointing in particular to the government’s increasing reliance on nolle prosequi to discontinue cases involving NDC members accused of embezzling public funds.