On JoyNews’ PM Express on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, lawyer and IMANI Africa Vice‑President Kofi Bentil cautioned that appointing Chief Justices who are near retirement could give President John Dramani Mahama significant influence over the succession of leadership in the judiciary.
Bentil explained that a short remaining tenure for a new Chief Justice would allow the president to install successive heads of the judiciary within his own term. “If the president wants to wrestle power, he will go the route of picking people with short times to go,” he said.
He made it clear that his remarks were hypothetical and did not accuse President Mahama of intending to consolidate power. “I said, if he wants, okay. The reason is simple. It will give him immense power,” Bentil added.
The discussion comes as Chief Justice Paul Baffoe‑Bonnie is expected to retire later this year, opening the door for a new appointment. Bentil noted that while competence is crucial, personal confidence and loyalty could also shape the selection of senior judicial officers.
“Competence is always important, but even in corporate life, above a certain level, the boss will pick somebody with sufficient competence and great loyalty,” he said. He stressed that the candidates under consideration were all highly qualified.
Bentil urged that the next Chief Justice should restore public confidence in the judiciary after recent controversies. “I think the best thing would be someone who projects confidence in the judiciary,” he said.
Although no candidate would command universal support, Bentil expressed confidence that President Mahama would ultimately choose a suitable person from a strong pool of candidates. “I think ultimately the president will make a good choice because fortunately we have very good people over there, but he will make the choice,” he said.
