A heated confrontation broke out between Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga during the vetting of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, President Mahama’s nominee for Chief Justice.
The exchange began when Afenyo-Markin referred to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as a “disputed nominee,” prompting an objection from Ayariga, who called the remark “inappropriate and politically charged.”
In response, Afenyo-Markin accused the Majority of acting in bad faith and attempting to stifle legitimate parliamentary debate. He defended his comment, arguing that the Minority had a duty to raise concerns about what they view as a politically motivated nomination.
“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 said during the vetting.
He added that the Minority’s scrutiny was not partisan but a constitutional responsibility to uphold transparency and protect the independence of the judiciary.
“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 control,” he said.
The tension follows campaign allegations by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 elections, claiming that the government planned to remove Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo and replace her — a scenario that has now materialised under the current administration.
