Alexander Afenyo-Markin, 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.
However, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has rejected a motion filed by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, seeking to suspend the vetting.
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.
In addition, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has earlier confirmed that the minority in parliament will be part of the much-anticipated parliamentary vetting of President John Dramani Mahama’s Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
According to Afenyo-Markin, all their cards are on the table, and they are not going to boycott Baffoe Bonnie vetting.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews, Afenyo-Markin stated, “All our cards are on the table. Boycotting is out. Anybody who is expecting us to boycott, I say here and now, we will never boycott it. We will do what is right. All our cards are on the table. We’ll get there”.
He confirmed the minority’s commitment to their legislative duties under Article 144(1) of the Constitution.
Mr Afenyo-Markin, however, insisted, “He [Baffoe-Bonnie] himself must know that there is a Chief Justice. He himself must know. Yes, he knows he’s acting, and he knows that there’s a substantive Chief Justice”.
“The woman has a case before you challenging the processes. You’ve refused to empanel the court. You know that you are to empanel. If you want to rule, empanel the court, determine the matter and then bring a finality, then we can talk”, he challenged.
Meanwhile, Parliament’s Appointments Committee will on Monday, November 10, 2025, vet Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
The official notice revealed the session will begin at 11:00 a.m. in Committee Rooms 1, 2, and 3 at the New Administration Block.
See the post below:
\Monday's vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie will not happen… – Afenyo-Markin (Minority Leader) #GHOneNews #EIBNetwork #GHOneTV #NewsAlert pic.twitter.com/GKZr50uJTQ
— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) November 7, 2025