The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has rejected a motion filed by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, seeking to suspend the vetting of acting Chief Justice.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority in Parliament has filed a motion seeking to halt the proceedings on the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice.
According to the minority motion, all pending legal cases concerning the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo must be resolved first.
The minority in the motion cited Articles 110(1), 125–127, 144(1) and 146 of the 1992 Constitution and relevant Standing Orders.
They called on Parliament to suspend the Appointments Committee’s vetting and plenary debate or approval processes.
The minority motion noted multiple ongoing cases, including an ECOWAS Court suit (No. ECW/CCJ/APP/32/25) and other applications before the Supreme Court and High Court.
In their motion, they further requested that Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to appear before Parliament to provide a comprehensive briefing.
Also, they are seeking clarification on Ghana’s obligations under regional treaties relevant to the ECOWAS Court proceedings.
Delivering his ruling on Friday, the Speaker stated, “There is no constitutional or standing order basis for Parliament to hold the process simply because there are pending cases in court”.
“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 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 said.
His verdict comes after the Minority Leader in parliament, has boldly stated, the vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Baffoe-Bonnie, on Monday, November 10, 2025, will not happen.
The Minority Leader cited specific parliamentary orders, including Orders 217(2), 103(F), 123(1), and 216(4), adding that “none of these allow for the consideration of a nomination when the legality of a vacancy is still sub judice”.
According to him, the Constitution does not recognise the Chief Justice’s office as vacant while disputes are ongoing.
He further fired a shot at the majority, criticising them for what he described as the combative posture of the Majority side in relation to the vetting process.
He is quoted by GHOne to have stated, “Monday’s vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, will not happen”.
Also, speaking in Parliament on Friday, November 7, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said, “We are not into blows; we are here to argue law and for you to determine. This kind of attack—‘it will happen, it will happen’—is inappropriate. They should take it easy”.
“Proceeding to vet a new person to fill that office will be rendering the application of justice,” Afenyo-Markin said.