National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has called on African judiciaries to take deliberate steps to build public confidence in their handling of electoral disputes.
According to him, the judiciary has an important role to play in political affairs, particularly in resolving election-related disputes, and should not be excluded from matters concerning politics.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah made the comments in a series of posts on X while participating in a fireside chat at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, Nigeria.
The dialogue was held on the theme, “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”
He said the key issue was whether the judiciary could conduct itself in a manner that would earn the trust and confidence of citizens.
“I disagree with the suggestion that the judiciary should have nothing to do with the affairs of politics. In fact, it’s the opposite in Ghana,” he said.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah cited Kenya and Malawi as examples of countries where the judiciary had played significant roles in resolving electoral disputes, urging other African countries to emulate such practices.
“Our courts should be the final arbiter in election disputes. It is not usurping, but respecting the voice of the people,” he stated.
Reflecting on Ghana’s experience, he cited the 2012 presidential election petition brought by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Supreme Court, which was dismissed by a five-to-four majority decision.
He said the judiciary could strengthen public confidence by being open to legitimate criticism, ensuring consistency in its decisions and demonstrating fairness regardless of the political parties involved.
“The judiciary should take measures to build confidence from the people by opening up to criticisms, keeping their verdicts consistent and ensuring fairness regardless of the parties involved,” he said.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah also called for stronger political parties, arguing that they should move beyond their role as election machines and contribute more to policy development and holding governments accountable.
“We must move away from political parties being merely election machines; they must do more including policy and government checks,” he said.
He further stated that political parties and the judiciary had a shared responsibility to protect democracy.
“Between the courts and political parties, both must work to save democracy,” he said.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah also disclosed that the NDC would comply with a recent Supreme Court ruling requiring all registered party members to participate in parliamentary and presidential primaries to select candidates.
He also shared a personal experience from his early political career, recalling that after losing his first election as General Secretary, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo advised him to exercise restraint and return to the drawing board.
“As a General Secretary, my first election I lost. President Obasanjo called, asked to exercise restraint and go back to the drawing board. We did and won power successfully,” he recounted.
On judicial welfare, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah argued that judges should be provided with state-funded accommodation without becoming owners of the properties.
“I cannot imagine governments building houses for judges free of charge in Ghana. Judges’ accommodation will be catered for by the state. The judges will not own the property, they will leave when they retire,” he said.
Live from Bauchi, Nigeria. Our National Chairman @JAsieduNketiah joins the panel at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (@GEJFoundation) Democracy Dialogue.
— Johnson Asiedu Nketiah (@JAsieduNketiah) August 11, 2026
Theme: Beyond Elections. Can political parties and the judiciary save African democracy? #DemocracyDialogue @GEJonathan
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