Ayariga blasts Afenyo-Markin for breaching standing orders at CJ’s vetting

Tempers flared in Parliament on Monday during the Appointments Committee’s vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, when Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga accused Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin of violating parliamentary procedure.

The confrontation began when Afenyo-Markin questioned the legality of the nomination, arguing that the matter of the former Chief Justice’s removal was still before multiple courts.

“Chairman, seven separate proceedings across three jurisdictions, our Supreme Court, the High Court, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice, none has been heard on its merits,” he asserted. “Yet, while these cases remain pending, there is a nomination to replace.”

But Mr. Ayariga swiftly interjected, insisting that Afenyo-Markin’s comments breached Standing Orders that bar members from discussing matters in a manner that fairly hurts a party to a judicial hearing.

“Our rules are very clear on pending matters,” Ayariga stated firmly. “You cannot comment on issues that are before the courts in a way that prejudices the interests of the parties. The rules are clear. What you can do in the chamber, you cannot do in a committee.”

He reminded the Minority Leader of his experience in parliamentary affairs, saying, “You are a senior lawyer, you’ve been a Majority Leader, you’ve been a Minority Leader, you’ve lived through all the rulings in these matters. Pending matters, we should stay away from them.”

Mr. Ayariga further accused Afenyo-Markin of turning committee proceedings into a personal platform.

“Show me in our Standing Orders anything that says you have a right to make preliminary statements,” he charged.

“You’ve converted it into a platform to do a press conference where you attack and impugn people and walk away with it. Today, you will not attack anybody and walk away whilst I sit in this committee.”

The standoff between the two leaders proceeded for the better part of an hour as the Chief Justice nominee sat and watch his parliamentary inquistors trade barbs.

The Minority caucus had on Friday attempted to cancel the vetting citing ongoing legal disputes involving the former occupant of the judiciary’s top job, Her Ladyship Justice Getrude Torkornoo. The move was unsuccesssful when the Speaker refused to halt the process setting the stage for today’s vetting.