‘The President Ghana Never Got’: How Akufo-Addo picked Anin Yeboah over Dotse as Chief Justice

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has given details of the lobbying that went on for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to appoint Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah as the Chief Justice of Ghana.

In his latest publication, "The President Ghana Never Got,"  Manasseh Azure indicated that President Akufo-Addo considered Justice Jones Mawulorm Dotse and Justice Anin Yeboah to replace Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo, who was due for retirement.

He said President Akufo-Addo finally decided to go with Justice Anin-Yeboah, who was the only judge who supported the president's election petition for the 2012 presidential election results, which saw John Dramani Mahama elected as president, to be cancelled.

“Justice Anin Yeboah made the headlines for his judgment in Ghana's first presidential election petition. In that petition, Nana Akufo-Addo challenged President Mahama's election in 2012 and lost in a majority decision. Justice Anin Yeboah was of the view that the election should be annulled and a new election be held. He was the only one who went this far in his judgment.

“Though the two justices were neck-to-neck in their experience at the bench, Justice Dotse was considered senior to Justice Anin Yeboah because he had been called to the bar two years before Justice Anin Yeboah became a lawyer. The speculations ended when the president finally announced the next Chief Justice. The lot fell on Justice Anin Yeboah,” part of the book reads.

Manasseh Azure also indicated that Justice Dotse still could not realise his dream of becoming Chief Justice after Anin Yeboah's retirement because he was also due for retirement in a month.

Akufo-Addo, therefore, promised Justice Dotse the Speaker of Parliament position, but he did not get that position either.

“Justice Anin Yeboah's retirement was due in May 2023, when he turned 70. Justice Jones Dotse, on the other hand, turned 70 on June 8, 2023, and went on retirement. This meant that at the time Justice Anin Yeboah was chosen ahead of Justice Dotse in 2019, Justice Dotse had no chance of ever becoming Chief Justice after Justice Anin, even if Akufo-Addo had him in mind.

"The President, however, reportedly earmarked Justice Dotse for another appointment and asked him not to worry about losing out on the topmost job at the judiciary. The President promised to make him the next Speaker of Parliament.”

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