Flagbearer Hopeful and Former General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyepong, has chastised former President John Dramani Mahama’s for his unwarranted criticism of the judiciary.
Mr . Agyepong said, such criticisms do not bode well for the judiciary which ought to be supported like any other institution.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Joy News on October 6, Kwabena Agyepong said he was disappointed in the comments by former President Mahama especially when he has been at the helm of the country’s affairs and should appreciate what it means to support the judiciary.
Although he admits that judges are prone to imperfections like everyone else, he said leaders must endeavour to be supportive of them.
“What surprised me was the one who really attacked the judges. That’s former President Mahama who I know very well, a good friend of mine. I was surprised because he has been president before. He has occupied the highest seat in government therefore you know what it takes to support the judiciary.
“And so for him to come out and say the kinds of thing that he said, I find it was a downer. It was disappointing. You don’t need to do that. Whatever the shortcomings…I’m not saying the judges are perfect. They are not perfect. All of us are not perfect.
“We the leaders are the ones to provide the maximum support and having been in the seat as Chief Executive of state and the first gentleman of the land, I think he should be the last person to be running down a critical institution like the judiciary,” he said.
The NPP flagbearer hopeful added that even though Mahama may have made the comment in the spur of the moment, political leaders should be circumspect in their utterances.
He stated that this was because the younger generation in society looked up to the political leaders thus comments from them should engender confidence and inspiration.
“Every comment that we make as political leaders has to be measured especially to infuse confidence and inspiration for the younger generation. They are looking on to us. That’s why I have always advocated against the insults that are dominating the media space,” Kwabena Agyepong mentioned.
Source: theGhanaianvoice.com