Minority calls for suspension of Chief Justice vetting over pending legal cases

The Minority Caucus of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed concern over what it describes as “unnecessary haste” in the process of appointing a new Chief Justice following the exit of Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo.

Addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps in Accra on Wednesday, Mr Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, Member of Parliament for Gushegu, who spoke on behalf of the Caucus, said the vetting of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the next Chief Justice should be suspended until all pending legal challenges surrounding Justice Torkornoo’s removal are resolved.

The Minority has therefore filed a motion through the Clerk to Parliament for the Speaker of Parliament to suspend the scheduled vetting of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie on November 10, 2025.

According to the Caucus, former Chief Justice Torkornoo currently has six pending cases before Ghana’s High Court and Supreme Court, as well as three cases before the ECOWAS Court. It said these cases must be allowed to reach their logical conclusion to uphold constitutional integrity and the rule of law.

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The Minority argued that rushing to appoint a new Chief Justice undermines judicial independence and democratic accountability.

“The vetting of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie must be suspended until the courts have spoken on the legality and constitutionality of the removal of Justice Torkornoo,” the motion stated.
“This is not just a procedural matter; it is a test of our commitment to the rule of law and democratic accountability.”

The motion, submitted to Parliament, cited several constitutional provisions, Articles 110(1), 125 to 127, 144(1), and 146 of the 1992 Constitution, as well as relevant Standing Orders of Parliament to support the Caucus’s position.

Among the unresolved cases cited by the Minority are:

• A suit before the ECOWAS Court (Case No. ECW/CCJ/APP/32/25)
• Multiple applications before Ghana’s Supreme Court
• Proceedings in the High Court challenging the legality of Justice Torkornoo’s removal

The Minority insists that due process must be respected, especially since the matter involves the judiciary, an institution central to democratic governance.

The motion has since sparked debate within Parliament, with some MPs supporting it as a necessary check on executive overreach, while others dismiss it as politically motivated.

Regardless of the outcome, the move highlights the ongoing tension between constitutional procedure, judicial independence, and political accountability in Ghana’s governance system.