Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader and Ranking Member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, has said there are dark clouds in Ghana.
According to Afenyo-Markin, Ghanaians and even lawmakers cannot freely express themselves.
The minority leader made these comments during the vetting of Chief Justice nominee Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
Afenyo-Markin cited alleged intimidation tactics from the Majority caucus, particularly the Majority leader, Mahama Ayariga.
Afenyo-Markin stated, “…There are dark clouds indeed in this country where freedom of speech, by mere operation of a supermajority, you cannot even, as a Member of Parliament, make your comment”.
Alexander Afenyo-Markin and Mahama Ayariga clashed in a heated debate during the vetting of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice.
The heated exchange stemmed from Afenyo-Markin’s opening remarks, in which he described the Justice Baffoe-Bonnie nomination by President Mahama as a “disputed nominee”.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga objected to Afenyo-Markin’s description, arguing that the vetting session was not a courtroom proceeding.
Mahama Ayariga then demanded that the Minority Leader retract the statement and issue an apology.
However, Afenyo-Markin accused the Majority Leader of acting in bad faith and attempting to stifle the Minority’s influence with their numbers.
According to Afenyo-Markin, the Minority had every right to express its reservations about the nomination.
“Chairman, the Majority Leader is clearly acting in bad faith, seeking to obstruct the peaceful process we have started and, as it were, use his numbers to intimidate,” Afenyo-Markin stated during the session.
“The matters giving rise to this nomination are purely political, and every Ghanaian adult knows this. Instead of becoming a moment of national pride and institutional renewal, this vetting has turned into a test of whether the judiciary will remain independent or fall under executive and political control”, he added.
Meanwhile, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie is expected to be vetted today, Monday, November 10, 2025, by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
In Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin had 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”.
However, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has rejected a motion filed by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, seeking to suspend the vetting.