A Senior Staffer at the government's seat, Jubilee House, has apologized to President Akufo-Addo for orchestrating a significant publication to "preempt" the President's announcement of the next Chief Justice of the Republic this week.
President Akufo-Addo is reportedly dissatisfied with the Publications, which he characterized as an attempt to "force his hand" in selecting their preferred candidate for Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
The President reportedly told trusted aides in February that he was firmly considering Gertrude Torkornoo and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi to replace the departing Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah. According to sources, Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi is at the head of the President's list of candidates.
A day or two prior to the submission of the final name to Cabinet and Council of State for deliberations, a Senior Staffer who is a lawyer and is related to the President allegedly instigated a major publication to imply that President Akufo-Addo had "pencilled" and selected a name submitted for consideration when this was not the case.
The employee has since admitted guilt and apologized to the President for the "misstep."
This is said to have weakened the odds of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo against Justice Yonny Kulendi, who is Akufo-Addo's personal choice and the NPP Party's choice.
Even though Justice Gertrude Torkornoo may still be considered, credible sources indicate that President Akufo-Addo will most likely appoint Justice Kulendi as the next Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana.
Key political figures within the party and government support and respect President Akufo-Addo's selection of Justice Kulendi, who was appointed to the apex court only a year after Justice Torkornoo.
Some NPP supporters of President Akufo-Addo's selection of Kulendi cite his judgments in the Justice Abdulai Case and the Assin North MP's injunction case, which were crucial to the passage of E-levy and other key Akufo-Addo legislative initiatives.
Justice Emmanuel Yoni Kulendi has an advantage over all other candidates due to the level of support he enjoys within and outside the party, on the bench, and throughout the entire judicial service, as a result of his nearly three decades of private and public legal practice and landmark legal achievements.
If Akufo-Addo chooses Kulendi, he will go down in history as the Ghanaian president who appointed the first Chief Justice for the three Northern Regions since independence.