Vetting of CJ Nominee: That vetting will not happen – Afenyo-Markin tells Ayariga

The Minority in Parliament has insisted that the vetting of Chief Justice nominee Paul Baffoe-Bonnie cannot happen until the pending legal cases filed by Gertrude Torkornoo have been decided.

It follows an earlier motion they submitted to the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, asking that he stops the appointments committee from all processes leading to the vetting.

The Majority side rejected the demand by the Minority and said the vetting will happen on Monday, November 10 as advertised.

“The constitution is very clear on these matters. The nomination of the Chief Justice is properly before this House. It has been referred to the committee and the committee will sit on Monday,” Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga said.

He urged the Minority side to refer any concerns they have to the Appointments Committee.

“I urge him to appear before the committee as a member. You can ask all your questions. The Chief Justice nominee is ready and available and willing to answer all questions put to him and very, very capable.

This submission was, however, opposed by the Minority Leader, Alex Afenyo-Markin.
“I dare submit that the man who is going to be nominated himself is conflicted. He is in conflict. How can you? How can you? Who knows that that office, the occupant, is being denied her human rights and you are supposed to empanel. You are refusing to empanel, yet this house should bless you with a benefit of vetting. We want to bring it in the context of the business committee report and invite the Majority Leader to graciously withdraw that aspect of his submission to the effect that on Monday there is going to be vetting,” he demanded.

Mr Afenyo-Markin said if that it not done, the Minority members will protest.

“We will not support a report, that business committee report that has an aspect that says that there is going to be vetting. That vetting will not happen. It will not happen. You must follow due process. Follow the law. Do the right thing. We the minority will not shut our mouth,” he stressed.

It is recalled that on October 21, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin referred the nomination of Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice to Appointments Committee for consideration.

The Committee is expected to submit a report to the House after its vetting of the nominee.
The Speaker announced the referral on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 on the floor of the House after reading the nomination letter submitted to him by the Office of the President.

“Honourable members, I accordingly proceed to refer the said nomination to the appropriate Committee and that is the Appointments Committee to do the public hearing and submit the report to the House for consideration,” he stated.

President John Mahama in September nominated the current Acting Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie for confirmation by Parliament as the substantive head of the Judiciary.

This was announced by the Minister in Charge of Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu on September 23.

Here is the profile of the Chief Justice nominee:

Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie is a seasoned Ghanaian jurist with an extensive legal career spanning over three decades.

Born on December 26, 1956, He has had a distinguished career serving in various capacities across Ghana’s judicial system, culminating in his appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana seventeen years ago in 2008 – a position he still holds.
He previously served as a Justice of the Court of Appeal and High Court and a Circuit Court Judge.

Before joining the Bench in 1992, he worked as a Principal Inspector of Taxes, and Head of Legal – Eastern and Volta Regions at the IRS. And before then, Deputy Superintendent of Prisons and Head of Legal at the Prisons Service -Headquarters.

A graduate of the University of Ghana and the Ghana School of Law, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, is an alumni of Konongo-Odumase Secondary School where he obtained is O’ and A’ level certificates.

Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie is an influential figure in legal education and judicial reform who has served on several committees.

Currently, he chairs the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council, the Election Management Committee of the Judicial Service and the Finance Committee of the Judicial Service.