The Minority in Parliament has boycotted the vetting of Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, citing ongoing court cases and procedural irregularities surrounding his nomination.
Led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the group declared that it would not participate in the vetting process, arguing that it lacked legitimacy due to unresolved legal challenges over the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
“We are registering that we reject the nomination, and the record should reflect that the report of the vetting be a Majority report,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin said during proceedings.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s vetting comes in the wake of the controversial dismissal of Justice Torkornoo — a decision that the Minority and several civil society organisations have condemned as unconstitutional and politically motivated.
The Minority contends that proceeding with the vetting while multiple court cases relating to Justice Torkornoo’s removal are still pending undermines the principles of judicial independence and the rule of law.
Their boycott underscores the deep political divisions in Parliament over the appointment process and adds to the growing debate about the balance between executive authority and judicial accountability in Ghana’s constitutional framework.
