Member of Parliament for Asante Akim Central, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, has explained that the Minority’s decision to walk out of the vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, was based on principle and concerns about due process.
Addressing the media after the Minority staged a walkout during the vetting, Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi said the caucus believed the process leading to the nomination and vetting of the new Chief Justice was not proper, given that the current Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, had not yet formally left office.
“On a matter of principle, we needed to lay the foundation because there was an existing Chief Justice. But for the irregularities, we would not be here to vet another Chief Justice,” he stated.
He explained that the Minority had earlier filed a motion on the floor of Parliament, seeking to delay the vetting until all pending legal and constitutional matters were resolved.
However, the Speaker of Parliament did not admit their motion, a decision the Minority described as unfair.
According to the MP, the Minority believes several legal issues surrounding the nomination are still before the courts and ECOWAS, and those cases should be concluded before a new Chief Justice is vetted.
Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi stressed that the walkout was not a personal attack on Justice Baffoe-Bonnie but rather a stance to protect democratic and constitutional principles.
“Nobody has anything against Justice Baffoe-Bonnie personally, but on a matter of principle, we needed to abstain from this. Since we were going to vote against the process anyway, we decided not to participate,” he said.
He expressed concern that the Majority side appeared unwilling to allow a fair and open discussion during the proceedings.
“It seemed they had made up their minds to object to everything we said. We cannot hold everyone to ransom, so we thought it was best to give peace a chance and leave the room,” he added.
Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi clarified that the Minority’s exit was not a complete boycott but a principled protest against what they viewed as an improper process.
The vetting of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie went ahead despite the Minority’s absence.
If approved, he will succeed Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, who is expected to retire soon.
By: Jacob Aggrey
