The Minority in Parliament has stepped up its opposition to the planned vetting of Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, arguing that constitutional questions surrounding him must be resolved first.
The stance follows a petition sent to President John Dramani Mahama by the Minority Caucus, seeking clarity on a pending request for the removal of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie from office.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, speaking during consideration of the Business Committee’s report on Friday, stated the caucus would not back the scheduling of the vetting.
“This House cannot be invited to approve the vetting of the nominee for Chief Justice when there are active constitutional matters before the Supreme Court and the Equal Rights Court of Justice,” he said. “We will not support this Business Committee report that says the nominee will be vetted.”
Afenyo-Markin also criticised delays in several judicial cases, noting that the nominee, who empanels the Supreme Court, is linked to unresolved legal matters.
“The man empowered to empanel the court is the very person who has been nominated,” he noted. “None of the six cases has been listed for hearing. This raises serious concerns.”
The Minority’s renewed push is anchored in a petition dated 7 November 2025 from Second Deputy Minority Whip Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib, requesting that the President provide updates on a petition by Mr. Gbandi Nabin Yussif seeking Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s removal under Article 146(1) of the Constitution.
The petition, filed under Article 21(1)(f) of the Constitution and the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), asks for:
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The current status of the petition.
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Whether it has been referred to the Council of State.
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Any actions or decisions taken by the Council.
“In view of the ongoing process regarding the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie for the office of Chief Justice and his impending vetting. The Minority Caucus requests a copy of the investigative report or decision,” Hon. Shaib wrote.
Afenyo-Markin stressed that ignoring the petition before the vetting compromises transparency and due process.
“The nominee is conflicted. How can he refuse to empanel the court in matters involving human rights concerns, yet this House is being asked to bless him with a vetting? That will not happen,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has dismissed a motion filed by Alexander Afenyo-Markin seeking to halt the vetting of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie until pending legal cases involving former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo are resolved.
Delivering his ruling on Friday, Speaker Bagbin rejected the motion, stating that court proceedings cannot obstruct Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities.
“There is no constitutional or standing order basis for Parliament to hold the process simply because there are pending cases in court,” Bagbin said.
He warned that allowing such a motion would “set a dangerous precedent,” adding, “Should I accept that argument, it will mean that any litigant could hold Parliament hostage — that is, file a case and freeze the work of Parliament and its committees.”
