The Third Force Alliance, a coalition of five political parties, has urged political actors not to politicise the ongoing processes to remove the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo from office and allow the rule of law to work.This follows a recent demon­stration held by a group of political parties, led the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to protest against the sus­pension of Justice Torkornoo by President John Dramani Mahama in consultation with the Council of State.The Third Force Alliance is made up of the Convention People's Party (CPP), All People's Congress (APC), Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), People's Nation­al Convention (PNC), and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).According to the General Secre­tary of the PNC, Mr Awudu Ishaq, the Third Force Alliance was be­mused by the decision of the NPP to lead a demonstration against the suspension of Justice Torkornoo by President Mahama."The Third Force Alliance is bemused at the decision by the NPP to turn itself into a vanguard and offer some support to the sus­pended Chief Justice by extension oppose the decision by President Mahama to exercise a constitution­ally guaranteed power," Mr Ishaq said.Mr Ishaq said that President Mahama had not gone against the constitutional framework as he had followed the provisions of Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution which spells out the procedures for the removal of a Chief Justice in consultation with the Council of State.He pointed out that the NPP under former President Akufo-Ad­do had the same power during his two terms in office to suspend and dismiss public officers who were involved in alleged corrupt acts but failed to exercise those powers.Mr Ishaq, therefore commend­ed President Mahama for bold decision to lead not just with authority, but with accountability, decisiveness, and fidelity to the Constitution."His bold action in responding to the petitions against the Chief Justice is a defining moment in the annals of Ghana's democracy.

It sends a strong message that no one is above the Constitution and no institution is sacred to be scru­tinised," he said."As citizens, we must support leaders who are bold enough to act and wise enough to know when to.

We must remember that the future of this country rests not in the hands of the powerful, but in the actions of those who are willing to hold the powerful accountable," Mr Ishaq added.That notwithstanding, he asserted that the suspension of the Chief Justice and the issues that had arisen thereafter exposed certain gaps in the constitutional framework of the country.Mr Ishaq, therefore, made some key recommendations which were the establishment of an indepen­dent judicial oversight body to conduct initial determination of prima facie cases against Chief Justices and amendment of the constitution to make provision of a statutory timeline within which the removal process of a Chief Justice would be conducted. BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY