Fiery Clash Erupts Between Afenyo-Markin and Ayariga as Parliament Vets Disputed Chief Justice Nominee
Parliamentary proceedings descended into chaos Monday as Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga traded barbs over procedural decorum and the legitimacy of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination as Chief Justice, overshadowing the vetting session and exposing raw partisan rifts in Ghana’s legislature.
The confrontation unfolded before the Appointments Committee, chaired by First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor, during Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s appearance at Parliament House at 11:00 a.m. Afenyo-Markin, representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority, opened with a scathing critique, branding the nominee a “disputed Chief Justice nominee” and decrying the vetting as a litmus test for judicial independence amid what he called executive overreach.
He further lambasted the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo as a “travesty of justice” conducted in “opaque circumstances,” alleging procedural irregularities in the Pwamang Committee’s investigation.
Ayariga, speaking for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Majority, swiftly rose on a point of order, invoking Standing Orders 122 and 123 to demand retraction and an apology. “You are not in a courtroom challenging his nomination,” Ayariga retorted, insisting the remark was unparliamentary and politically motivated.
He accused Afenyo-Markin of attempting to “rundown everybody” and stifling the process, warning that such tactics could not proceed under his watch on the committee.
The sparring escalated when Afenyo-Markin sought to deliver opening remarks, only for Ayariga to block him, claiming the issues had been preemptively addressed via a prior motion. Afenyo-Markin fired back, accusing the Majority of “acting in bad faith” and suppressing the Minority’s constitutional right to voice concerns.
The debate, which dragged on for over an hour, drew interventions from MPs like Alhassan Tampuli, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, and Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, who dissected the objections’ alignment with parliamentary rules versus practice.
The acrimony traces back to Torkornoo’s abrupt dismissal on September 1, 2025, via presidential warrant following the Pwamang Committee’s finding of misconduct on a single petition filed by citizen Daniel Ofori in March.
Afenyo-Markin has long decried the process as a violation of Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, highlighting an unnotified adjournment and rushed report that bypassed scheduled hearings.
The NPP views it as politically orchestrated retribution for Torkornoo’s rulings perceived as unfavorable to the NDC, echoing 2024 election campaign pledges to oust her.
Speaker Alban Bagbin rejected Afenyo-Markin’s November 7 motion to suspend the vetting pending ECOWAS Court resolution of related cases, deeming it baseless.
President John Dramani Mahama nominated Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, currently Acting Chief Justice, on October 28, positioning him as a reformer to bolster judicial efficiency.
The session eventually pivoted to substantive questions on his legal tenure, judicial philosophy, and reform agenda, though the early fireworks dominated headlines and livestream views.
As the committee deliberates a recommendation to the full House, the episode underscores deepening divisions in Ghana’s “hung” Parliament, where the NDC holds a slim edge.
Critics warn that such partisanship risks eroding public trust in institutions, while supporters frame it as robust democratic oversight. With the judiciary’s pivotal role in upcoming electoral disputes, all eyes remain on whether Baffoe-Bonnie’s confirmation can restore equilibrium—or fuel further discord
