The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has dismissed a motion filed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin seeking to halt the vetting of acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie until pending legal cases involving former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo are resolved.
The Minority Caucus of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) filed the motion on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, requesting Parliament to suspend all proceedings related to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination.
The motion, endorsed by five NPP MPs, cited constitutional provisions including Articles 110(1), 125–127, 144(1), and 146, urging “Parliament to suspend the Appointments Committee’s vetting and any plenary debate or approval processes.”
Among the signatories were Anyimadu Antwi (Asante Akim Central), John Darko (Suame), Gloria Owusu (Trobu), Damata Salam Ama Appianimaa (Afigya Kwabre South), Alhassan Suleman Tampuli (Gushegu), and Kwabena Boateng (Ejisu).
The Minority referenced multiple ongoing cases — including an ECOWAS Court suit (No. ECW/CCJ/APP/32/25) and matters before the Supreme Court and High Court — related to the removal of Chief Justice Torkornoo.
It also requested that Attorney-General Dr Dominic Ayine brief Parliament on the litigation’s progress.
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.”
The Speaker subsequently declared the motion inadmissible and ordered that it be returned to its sponsor.
“The motion is inadmissible, and the same has been returned to the sponsor, the Minority Leader, Honourable Alexander Afenyo-Markin, as stated clearly by our standing orders,” he concluded.
