Minority Moves to Suspend Baffoe-Bonnie Vetting

Parliament has been asked to suspend all proceedings on the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie as Chief Justice until multiple legal challenges concerning the removal of current Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo are resolved.

A notice of motion filed by the Minority in Parliament on Tuesday, October 28, cited constitutional provisions and parliamentary standing orders, urging the House to halt both the Appointments Committee’s vetting process and any plenary debate on the nomination.

The motion, received by the Clerk of Parliament, referenced ongoing cases before the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court, Ghana’s Supreme Court, and the High Court, including ECOWAS Court Suit Number ECW/CCJ/APP/32/25, which seeks provisional measures related to Justice Torkornoo’s removal.

It also calls on the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to appear before Parliament to brief lawmakers on the status of all pending litigation, the reliefs being sought, and any implications the suits may have on the office of Chief Justice.

Among the issues raised are Ghana’s obligations under regional treaties, the procedural status of the cases, and the constitutional risks of confirming a new Chief Justice while legal proceedings remain active.

If adopted, the motion would compel the Business Committee to reprogram the House’s schedule and suspend any planned vetting related to the nomination until the legal matters are concluded or withdrawn.

The development has introduced fresh uncertainty into Ghana’s judicial transition process, as Justice Torkornoo’s removal and Justice Baffoe Bonnie’s proposed elevation continue to attract scrutiny from both legal and political circles.