The vetting of Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie kicked off with a fierce verbal disagreement between the leadership of the Majority and Minority Caucuses in the House.
At the commencement of proceedings on Monday, November 10, 2025, Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin sought to raise concerns about the circumstances surrounding the nomination of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, describing him as a disputed nominee.
In a sharp response, the Majority Leader objected to the description, tagging it as out of place.
The Majority Leader emphasized that the Minority’s objection to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination had already been resolved by a ruling issued by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, on Friday, November 7, 2025.
He therefore called on the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, to demand a withdrawal and apology from the Minority Leader.
The Chairman subsequently charged members of the committee to desist from describing the nominee as “disputed.”
Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie was named Acting Chief Justice and subsequently nominated as substantive Chief Justice by President John Dramani Mahama.
His nomination followed the removal of Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo by President Mahama on grounds of stated misbehavior.
Ahead of the vetting, the Minority on Friday moved a motion on the floor of Parliament to demand a halt to the vetting, citing ongoing legal challenges to the removal of Justice Torkornoo and her replacement.