The Minority in Parliament has called for a temporary halt to the approval process of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice, citing ongoing court proceedings challenging the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
According to the Minority, proceeding with the vetting and approval could violate the sub judice rule, undermine judicial independence, and create confusion over the legitimate holder of the office. They note that seven active cases are currently before the ECOWAS Court, the Supreme Court, and the High Court, all contesting the legality of Justice Torkornoo’s removal.
The group also raised a potential conflict of interest, pointing out that Justice Baffoe-Bonnie had previously presided over cases involving injunctions related to the matter.
They are therefore urging Parliament to defer the approval process until the courts conclude their deliberations, emphasizing the need to protect constitutional integrity, parliamentary precedent, and the principle of separation of powers.