Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, during the vetting of Supreme Court nominees, once again clashed with First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor and Majority Chief Whip Rockson‑Nelson Dafeamekpor.
The heated confrontation flared between the Minority and Majority members of the Appointments Committee over the vetting of three Supreme Court nominees.
According to Alexander Afenyo‑Markin, both sides of the house had earlier agreed the nominees would be vetted in October, and questioned why that agreement had suddenly been changed.
The Minority leader, while addressing the Committee, was repeatedly interjected by Rockson‑Nelson Dafeamekpor.
Afenyo-Markin cautioned Dafeamekpor against allowing politics to “ruin him.”
He stated, “You are my mate. I was called before you. You are my study mate. And you know, my law is unsoiled. So, stop what you are doing. Etse, don’t let politics make you behave this way. I’ve raised an issue, and he cannot rule on it. It’s a motion. He should tell me where he can rule. We have to take a decision and vote”.
“He should tell me where he can rule. We have to take a decision and vote. Please. It’s not fair. We have a right of reply. Let us reply. He shouldn’t rush. Why are we doing this to ourselves? It’s not fair. Your own position in 2024. Ayariga, you were there. You said 14 days,” he said.
He continued: “Why three days? Why? And when we react, you start shouting and threatening us. And you started threatening us. What’s going on in this country? In today’s Ghana, you can’t talk.”
“They will threaten you, frustrate you. That’s what you are doing. That is what you are doing. Maintain your own principle. You act out of political convenience. Where is your principle? Ayariga is here,” Afenyo-Markin insisted.
Meanwhile, the Minority later staged a walkout during the vetting, insisting that the process was being rushed and did not allow sufficient time for public scrutiny.
However, Parliament has approved the nominations of three individuals to the Supreme Court after all were recommended by the Appointments Committee and subsequently endorsed by the House, despite a dramatic boycott of the vetting process by the Minority Caucus.
The nominees include Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and private legal practitioner Anthony Forson Jnr, a former President of the Ghana Bar Association.
Some Ghanaians reacting to the development stated, “On a serious note, Afenyo is not doing any good to the NPP! He appears to dislike every single Supreme Court nominee, but in the end they will be passed. No matter how you look at it, they’re human beings and some of these things can create an image in their minds”.
An X user added, “Afenyo is right, GH is a democratic state & has every right to disagree. But disagreement has a procedure.
His frustration is understandable, esp belonging to the minority. A refined politician makes a strong argument without turning every disagreement into a shouting contest”.
“Afenyo-Markin, representative of a constituency, leader of the minority wanted to overruled President of Ghana when, who, number of appointees to run his administration. Where was he when Akufo-Addo appointed MORE judges, 140 ministers despite fewer numbers before his Presidency?”, an X user added.
One X user added, “Charlie, the NPP should just do the needful n reshuffle Afenyo the man is frustrated, or they enjoy what he is going through?”
A netizen noted, “That exchange got intense fast. Afenyo-Markin definitely wasn’t holding back on his frustration with how things are being handled in parliament lately”.
Watch the video below:
“We all agreed that the nominees for the Supreme Court should be done in October. So what changed? Why are you always frustrating everybody? Why are you taking the Majority too far?”
— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) August 27, 2026
— Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, in a heated exchange with First Deputy Speaker… pic.twitter.com/MfE5UKOF2n
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