The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has released a 26-page statement explaining their decision to boycott the vetting of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice nominee. Here are the key reasons behind their stance:
– Unresolved Legal Challenges: The Minority Caucus argues that there are pending cases before the Supreme Court, High Court, and ECOWAS Court related to the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, which should be resolved before proceeding with the vetting.
– Lack of Legitimacy: They claim that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination is illegitimate due to these unresolved legal issues.
– Undermining Judicial Independence: The Minority Caucus believes that continuing with the vetting process would undermine judicial independence and prejudge matters still under adjudication.
– Opaque Circumstances: They describe the removal of Justice Torkornoo as “opaque” and “unorthodox”.
The boycott has led to a heated debate between the Majority and Minority Leaders, with the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, objecting to the Minority Leader’s description of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as a “disputed nominee”.
