The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has rejected a motion by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, to suspend the vetting of acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie pending the resolution of court cases involving former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Arguing for the motion during proceedings on Friday, November 7, 2025, Afenyo-Markin argued that proceeding with the vetting while legal disputes over the former Chief Justice’s removal and the validity of the vacancy were before the courts would constitute interference in judicial processes.
He referenced various parliamentary standing orders and constitutional provisions to support his position.
However, delivering his ruling, Speaker Bagbin held that Parliament’s legislative and oversight functions cannot be halted due to ongoing court matters.
“There is no constitutional or standing order basis for Parliament to hold the process simply because there are pending cases in court,” Speaker Bagbin ruled.
He warned that accepting the Minority’s argument would allow any litigant to paralyse parliamentary proceedings by initiating legal action.
“Should I accept that argument, it will mean that any litigant could hold Parliament hostage — that is, file a case and freeze the work of Parliament and its committees,” he stated.
Consequently, the Speaker declared the motion inadmissible and ordered its return to the Minority Leader.
“The motion is inadmissible, and same has been returned to the sponsor, the Minority Leader, Honourable Alexander Afenyo-Markin, as stated clearly by our standing orders,” he concluded.
justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie was named by President John Dramani Mahama and subsequently nominated for the substantive position following the president’s removal of Justice Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo on grounds of stated misbehavior.
Justice Baffoe Bonnie’s vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament is scheduled for Monday, November 10, 2025.