Member of Parliament for Berekum West, Dickson Kyere-Duah, has criticised the Minority in Parliament for staging a walkout during the vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, describing their action as misplaced and unjustified.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP argued that the Minority’s protest had no legal or procedural basis, stressing that their conduct undermined Parliament’s constitutional duty to vet nominees.
“In this instance, the only person who was wrong is the respected Minority Leader and his colleagues,” he stated. “Somebody has made allegations against you without foundation. You go to court, and when the accuser is not able to prove his allegations, your dignity is restored. There is no irreparable damage.”
Kyere-Duah explained that those opposing Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination had failed to convince any court to issue an injunction against the vetting process, making the Minority’s decision to boycott the session unjustified.
He added, “When you go to court and you’re seeking an injunction, one of the key things judges rely on is the irreparable damage that will be caused if the injunction is not granted. Those who went to court have not been able to convince any court to grant an injunction to be granted. So, what stops us from performing our constitutional mandate?”
The Minority staged a walkout earlier this week in protest of what they described as concerns over ongoing legal challenges related to Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination by President John Mahama.
The Majority, however, proceeded with the vetting, insisting that the Appointments Committee had a duty to continue its work in the absence of any judicial order restraining Parliament.
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