Tensions ran high in Parliament on Monday, November 10, during the vetting of Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, as a sharp exchange erupted between the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga.
The confrontation began when Mr. Ayariga objected to Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s attempt to deliver his opening remarks, arguing that the issue had already been dealt with in Parliament through an earlier motion.
Matters escalated when the Minority Leader referred to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as a “disputed Chief Justice nominee,” prompting an immediate protest from the Majority Leader. Mr. Ayariga maintained that the vetting was not a courtroom hearing and called on Mr. Afenyo-Markin to retract the description and apologise.
In response, Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused the Majority Leader of acting in bad faith and trying to suppress the Minority’s right to express their opinions during the proceedings. He further criticised what he described as the lack of transparency surrounding the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo — a remark that again drew objections from Mr. Ayariga.
The heated exchange highlighted the deepening partisan divide in Parliament and the political sensitivities surrounding Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination as Chief Justice.
