 voting in favor and 69 against. The approval secures Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s elevation to the highest judicial office, following his successful vetting before the Appointments Committee.){kind=link}
Parliament has approved the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice after a headcount vote on Thursday resulted in 163 Members of Parliament (MPs) voting in favor and 69 against. The approval secures Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s elevation to the highest judicial office, following his successful vetting before the Appointments Committee.
However, the confirmation process was briefly marred by controversy when Habib Iddrisu, MP for Tolon, challenged the accuracy of the headcount. He demanded a secret vote that requires clearing the lobbies and ensuring only MPs remain in the chamber.
According to Habib Iddrisu, the number recorded in favour did not match the MPs who physically stood to vote “aye.” He further alleged that certain non-MPs, including the Ashanti Regional Minister, remained seated during the vote, contrary to parliamentary procedure.
“Mr Speaker, I made the application because I don’t believe it is the right number of MPs that stood up to vote ‘aye’. The Ashanti Regional Minister was still seated when he should have stepped out as a non-MP,” he protested.
Despite the objection, the Speaker dismissed the challenge and maintained that the “ayes have it,” officially confirming Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s approval. No division was conducted.
With parliamentary endorsement secured, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie is now set to assume office as Ghana’s next Chief Justice, expected to provide leadership and continuity within the judiciary at a critical time for the administration of justice.