BY Daniel Bampoe
The political temperature in Parliament soared on Monday, November 10, 2025, when members of the Minority Caucus on the Appointments Committee staged a dramatic walkout during the vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
The boycott, led by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, stemmed from what the group described as an “illegitimate” and “constitutionally flawed” nomination process.
The Minority’s objection is rooted in unresolved legal disputes surrounding the controversial removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
Justice Torkornoo, who was suspended by President John Dramani Mahama earlier this year, has challenged her dismissal at the Supreme Court and other international judicial forums, including the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
According to the Minority, proceeding with the vetting of her successor while her case remains pending violates due process and undermines the sanctity of the judiciary.
The Minority’s Protest
In his brief remarks before storming out of the vetting chamber, Afenyo-Markin declared that the Minority could not, in good conscience, participate in what he called a “tainted and premature process.”
“We are registering that we reject the nomination, and the record should reflect that the report of the vetting be a Majority report,” he stated firmly before leading his team out of the sitting.
The Minority’s decision was premised on the existence of multiple pending suits before the courts, which they argue make the vetting of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie procedurally improper.
They contend that the Executive’s nomination disregards the principle of separation of powers and prejudges ongoing judicial matters concerning the legality of Justice Torkornoo’s removal.
Tense Exchanges Before the Walkout
The walkout followed an intense exchanges between the Majority and Minority leadership moments after the vetting commenced.
The friction began when Afenyo-Markin attempted to make introductory comments, only for Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga to object, asserting that Parliament had already debated the nomination and that the vetting committee was not the appropriate forum for revisiting those issues.
The confrontation escalated when Afenyo-Markin referred to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as a “disputed Chief Justice nominee.”
Ayariga immediately objected to the characterization, insisting that such a remark was “unparliamentary and disrespectful” to both the nominee and the vetting process.
He demanded an apology and a retraction, emphasizing that “the Appointments Committee is not a courtroom.”
However, the Minority Leader stood his ground, accusing Ayariga of attempting to “gag legitimate dissent” and “silence accountability” within the committee. Afenyo-Markin further alleged that Justice Torkornoo’s removal was “shrouded in opacity and political manipulation,” a statement that reignited heated verbal exchanges across the aisle.
Background to the Controversy
The controversy over the Chief Justice position began in February 2025 when President Mahama suspended Chief Justice Torkornoo, citing alleged breaches of judicial conduct and administrative improprieties.
The suspension provoked widespread condemnation from sections of the legal fraternity, civil society, and opposition parties, who viewed it as an assault on judicial independence.
Despite multiple petitions and a pending legal challenge, the President nominated Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, a long-serving Supreme Court Justice, to replace her.
His nomination sparked sharp divisions in Parliament, with the Minority questioning the constitutional basis of the move and accusing the Executive of undermining the judiciary’s autonomy.
Aftermath and Next Steps
Following the Minority’s exit, the Majority members of the Appointments Committee proceeded with the vetting, describing the boycott as “unfortunate and politically motivated.”
Sources within the Committee indicate that the Majority intends to submit its report to the plenary within the week, setting the stage for a fierce partisan showdown in Parliament.
