- Minority MPs walked out of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie’s vetting in Parliament
- The action was taken on principle, citing ongoing legal disputes and procedural unfairness
- Minority insists the walkout was a protest, not a boycott
The Minority in Parliament has defended its decision to walk out of the vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, insisting that the move was principled, not political.
Speaking at a press conference immediately after the walkout, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, MP for Asante Akim Central and member of the Appointments Committee, explained that the Minority’s protest was against what it sees as procedural unfairness and ongoing legal disputes connected to the nomination.
“The decision reflects the position of the entire Minority. There are pending matters—some before ECOWAS, others in various courts—that have not been fully resolved. We believe it is inappropriate to vet a new Chief Justice until these processes are concluded,” he said.
Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi emphasized that the walkout was not a personal attack on Justice Baffoe-Bonnie.
“We have no issue with Justice Baffoe-Bonnie personally. But on principle, we had to abstain. Since we were going to oppose the process anyway, participating would serve no purpose, especially when the outcome was already determined,” he explained.
He also criticised the Majority in Parliament for allegedly failing to uphold fairness in the proceedings, describing the walkout as a protest rather than a boycott.
“In a democracy, the Minority has a voice while the Majority has its way. But in this instance, fairness was not ensured, so we opted out. This does not mean we boycotted the vetting; we opposed the nomination on principle,” he stated.
Addressing claims that the walkout was premeditated, Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi dismissed them as false, noting that the Minority had initially intended to participate in the vetting.
“If it were preplanned, we could have simply held the press conference and skipped the session. We met, prepared our questions, and were ready to engage,” he clarified.
He reiterated that the vetting of a Chief Justice is a national responsibility that transcends political lines.
“The Chief Justice serves the entire nation, whether one supports the NPP or NDC, Majority or Minority. It is our duty to ensure the best candidate is chosen. But when we are not allowed to participate meaningfully, we cannot continue,” he added.
