The Director of Legal Affairs for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Edudzi Tamakloe, has lent his support to former President John Mahama’s recent comments regarding the alleged packing of the courts with NPP-inclined judges by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). During a speech at the NDC Lawyers Conference in Akosombo, President Mahama accused President Akufo-Addo of appointing party members to the bench in an attempt to influence favorable decisions.

Mr. Mahama went further to encourage NDC lawyers to prepare themselves to take up positions on the bench to restore balance to the judicial composition. He stated, “Our lawyers, some of you must be prepared to go onto the bench… He’s packed the court, and we know that they’ve packed the court because they want to avoid accountability after they have left office.”

However, his comments faced condemnation from some quarters, with the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) calling him out. Saviour Kudze, the Public Relations Officer of the GBA, deemed Mr. Mahama’s remarks as inappropriate and unsupported by evidence. While he acknowledged that it was acceptable for Mr. Mahama to encourage NDC lawyers to seek judicial appointments, he criticized the former President for undermining the judiciary—an institution he might preside over in the future as President.

Contrary to these criticisms, Edudzi Tamakloe, the NDC’s Director of Legal Affairs and a participant in the NDC lawyers’ conference, defended Mr. Mahama’s stance. During an appearance on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen show, Tamakloe argued that there was nothing wrong with lawyers identifying themselves as NDC lawyers. He emphasized that the NDC had various professional groups under its umbrella, and lawyers contributing their expertise to advance the party’s interests was within their rights.

Tamakloe explained that the conference, which gathered around 150 lawyers, focused on strategizing how they could support the NDC’s bid for victory in the 2024 elections. He reiterated that the NDC was not a proscribed criminal organization, and individuals were free to associate with it under the law. He defended Mr. Mahama’s comments as fair and objective, emphasizing the importance of speaking the truth, even if it challenged the status quo.

Moreover, Tamakloe invoked previous public statements made by the current National Security Minister, Kan Dapaah, who urged judges to address perceptions of bias in their rulings favoring the ruling government. Tamakloe asserted that Mahama’s call for balance in the judiciary aimed to prevent an imbalance in the system, emphasizing that justice delivery depended on strong public confidence.

In conclusion, Tamakloe emphasized the necessity of fairness, balance, and objectivity in building the Ghana they aspired to see, adding that perceptions of unfairness needed to be addressed for the country’s betterment.