Broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere has slammed the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, for his commentary on the ruling of the Supreme Court that led to the removal of the Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson.

Speaking on his Good Evening Ghana programme, on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, Adom-Otchere suggested that the Dormaahene should know better because he is a high court judge.

He added that nowhere in the world can a High Court judge be seen criticising the decision of the Supreme Court in public.

“Dormaahene is a High Court judge; look at what he is saying. He is criticising a Supreme Court decision publicly; as a High Court judge, that is wrong. It would never happen in Westminster; a High Court judge in England cannot, should not, would never, ever, ever publicly criticise the decision of the House of Lords,” he said.

The journalist, who is also the board chairman of the Ghana Airport Company, also said that the remarks by the Dormahene hurts the gains Ghana has made in its democratic process.

“... that if he was on the Supreme Court, he would have ruled the other way, which other way? This is bad; it cannot happen; it shouldn’t take place. What is the meaning of this? Is it partisan, is it political, is it sentimental? We are destroying what we have built,” he said.

“A high court judge sits at the High Court and delivers his ruling. He is also a chief; he can address his people, but he cannot criticise the Supreme Court publicly,” he reiterated.

What the Dormaahene said?

The Traditional ruler of the Dormaa Traditional Area and President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, said that he disagrees with the ruling by the Supreme Court that nullified Gyakye Quayson's mandate due to his dual citizenship status.

Speaking at the 10th Atta Mills Anniversary lecture that took place over the weekend, the Dormaahene made it clear that he would have taken a different position if he had been sitting as a member of the panel.

“I will like to talk about an Honourable person who was a citizen of Canada. He said he was not willing to stay in Canada, he dropped his citizenship and returned to Ghana to help. When he got here, he had a bit of a challenge, and the Supreme Court ruled that his mandate as an MP should be nullified,” he said.

“Some of us were not happy with that. If I were on the Supreme Court, I would have taken a left position and not the right. The reason why I will opt for the left will raise another issue, so I will not say it,” he added.

The traditional ruler called upon the President and the Attorney General to drop the charges filed against the MP in the high court; arguing that Quayson's overwhelming victory in the Assin North elections, where he secured 57.56% of the votes, should be taken into account.

Watch Adom-Otchere’s remarks in the video:



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