The Minority in Parliament has boycotted the vetting of Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, rejecting the process as unconstitutional and politically tainted.
The walkout, which occurred during the Appointments Committee’s sitting, underscored growing parliamentary tensions following the controversial dismissal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
The Minority, led by Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, argued that the vetting lacked legitimacy due to unresolved court cases surrounding the former Chief Justice’s removal. They insisted that proceeding with the exercise while the matter was before the courts amounted to undermining judicial independence and the rule of law.
In a charged submission before staging the walkout, the Minority Leader declared the group’s position unequivocally. “We are registering that we reject the nomination, and the record should reflect that the report of the vetting be a Majority report,” Afenyo-Markin stated during proceedings.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination, which followed President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to remove Justice Torkornoo, has sparked controversy among opposition lawmakers. The Minority described the removal as “opaque” and “unorthodox,” asserting that it breached constitutional procedures meant to safeguard the judiciary’s autonomy.
Tensions within the chamber deepened when an argument broke out between Hon. Afenyo-Markin and Majority Leader Hon. Mahama Ayariga. The dispute erupted after the Minority Leader referred to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as a “disputed Chief Justice nominee,” a comment the Majority Leader immediately objected to.
Hon. Ayariga insisted that the committee’s sitting was not a courtroom and that the Minority Leader’s language was inappropriate, demanding that the remark be withdrawn and an apology rendered.
However, Afenyo-Markin refused to retract his statement, accusing the Majority of bad faith and of seeking to silence the opposition’s constitutional right to raise concerns. He reiterated that the Minority’s rejection was based on principle rather than politics, stressing that they could not lend legitimacy to a process clouded by legal and procedural uncertainty.
“For all the reasons given, including the very actions of the Majority Leader denying us every opportunity to express our opinion on an important national discourse – we, the Minority caucus, hereby vote en bloc to reject the nominee.
“We do not intend to proceed with any questions. The records should reflect that the report of this committee be a Majority report”
Hon. Alexander Afenyo Markin, Minority Leader
AG Defends Majority
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, condemned the Minority’s conduct, describing it as disrespectful to the nominee and disruptive to parliamentary work.
He noted that the Minority Leader’s attempt to revisit a motion already dismissed by the Speaker of parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin amounted to a “sheer waste of time” for the Appointments Committee.
“We spent about two hours just on his preliminary comments. It doesn’t show respect to the nominee. There are three branches of government – three equal branches of government – we cannot bring the potential head of one of the branches of government to sit here and wait for us for hours just to debate amongst ourselves whether or not his vetting should proceed”
Dr. Dominic Ayine, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice
Dr. Ayine further defended the government’s position, insisting that Parliament retained the constitutional authority to proceed with the vetting despite the Minority’s absence. “We are not abusing our majority,” he said. “We are asserting our right to confirm the nominee that has been put forward by His Excellency the President.”
He clarified that once a quorum was formed, parliamentary practice required the committee’s business to continue even if some members chose to walk out, like the minority has.
The boycott reflects the deep political and constitutional divisions that have trailed Ghana’s judiciary in recent months.
While the Majority argues that the President acted within his mandate in nominating Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, the Minority insists that the decision to remove Chief Justice Torkornoo remains under judicial scrutiny and should have been resolved before any new appointment is made.
Observers note that the controversy has added to the climate of political tension within Parliament, as the country’s governance institutions face renewed questions about transparency and the separation of powers under President Mahama’s administration.
The Appointments Committee is expected to conclude its report in the coming days, paving the way for a plenary vote that will likely confirm Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as the next Chief Justice, barring any court injunctions.
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