“Withdraw Petition Against Ayine From General Legal Council” – NDC To CJ

Ghana’s largest opposition political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the petition by Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, Chief Jsutice against Dr Dominic Ayine as intimidation which is aimed at silencing NDC’s legal minds.

The NDC is therefore demanding that the Chief Justice withdraws the petition it put before the General Legal Council (GLC) to investigate the Bolgatanga East Member of Parliament (MP) over his comments about the apex court of the country.

Addressing a press conference in Accra today, Monday, June 21, 2021, NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, remarked that the NDC sees the action of the Chief Justice as attempts to silence NDC’s legal minds, such as Dr Dominic Ayine and added that the party sees that as intimidation as well.

He continued that NDC lawyers will not be cowed by the whims and caprices of the judiciary stating that they will continue to speak freely.

“…Even as the action taken against Dr Ayine is unjustified, it is but a symptom of a larger problem. It is no coincidence that virtually all the lawyers who have been reported to the Disciplinary Committee of the Council by the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, in recent times are aligned to the NDC.

“What is the Chief Justice’s personal interest in the punishment of NDC affiliated lawyers, that he is so keen to initiate unwarranted actions against them?” Mr. John son Asiedu Nketiah quizzed.

According to him such treatment would not be meted out to lawyers who are aligned to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for reasons best known to the Chief Justice.

The Judicial Secretary has petitioned the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council (GLC) of Ghana to investigate Dr Dominic Ayine, MP for Bolgatanga East, over comments he allegedly made against the Supreme Court recently.

The MP who was part of the Legal Team of former President Mahama, during the 2020 Election Petition, is said to have questioned the independence of the Judiciary due to the manner the Supreme Court adjudicated the election petition.

Dr Ayine made the comments in May, 2021, during a discussion on Presidential Election Petitions and their impact on Africa’s Democracy, which was organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana.