Speaker Bagbin rejects motion to halt Chief Justice nomination vetting

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has ruled inadmissible a motion seeking to suspend parliamentary consideration of the President’s nominee for Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.

The motion, submitted by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin on October 28, 2025, aimed to pause the vetting until pending court cases were resolved.

Delivering his decision on November 7, 2025, Mr Bagbin stated that the motion was “constitutionally and procedurally unsustainable.”

He cited Article 144(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which obliges Parliament to consider the President’s nomination continuously, irrespective of external litigation.

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Bagbin emphasised that allowing such a motion would give any litigant the power to “hold Parliament hostage”, potentially freezing its operations and undermining the separation of powers.

He reinforced that there is no constitutional provision for halting parliamentary processes simply because a case is before the courts.

The ruling clears the way for Parliament to proceed with the vetting and approval process of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination, ensuring the continuation of its constitutional mandate.

The Speaker noted that his decision was informed by the Constitution, Parliament’s Standing Orders, and established precedent, providing clarity on a matter that has drawn significant public attention.