GBA is not partisan – Ayikoi Otoo replies Atuguba

A former Attorney General Nii Ayikoi Otoo has rejected claims by Supreme Court judge William Atuguba that the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) is partisan.

According to him, although individual members of the association may have their own political interests, it will be inappropriate to describe the entire group as partisan.

Addressing the 42nd week celebration of the University of Ghana Law School Monday, Justice Atuguba said the GBA used to be less partisan in the past as compared to today.

“They (GBA) spoke with closed ranks and I didn’t see any division and had a united and courageous front and they succeeded.

“At a certain stage the GBA went to the point of saying they would not comment on national issues and that was very negative and why should that be the case, but now they are beginning to speak again,”

“Look at the horizon of their expression on important national issues and see whether there have been uniformity or consistence,” Atuguba, who was the president of the 2012 election petition case, stated.

But reacting to comments on Morning Starr Tuesday, the former AG said the position of the respected judge is not a reflection of the true state of the GBA.

“The Bar association is not partisan; it is not partisan at all, some members may have their own political interests but the group is not partisan in any way”.