Minority playing games with motion to stay approval of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie – Scooby Abuga
Abuga said the move by the Minority a “political game” aimed at delaying due process and shielding alleged corrupt officials within the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Benjamin Biadana Abuga, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team in the Navrongo Central Constituency, has criticised the Minority’s motion in Parliament seeking to halt the approval of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice.
According to him, the move is a “political game” aimed at delaying due process and shielding alleged corrupt officials within the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Friday, October 31, Abuga described the Minority’s action as “a game play that will not wash,” asserting that it is a deliberate attempt to buy time and frustrate legal proceedings.
“They are just playing a game. They know very well that they have a pile of criminals who are going to be prosecuted by the courts. As for the hundreds of thievery and amassing of wealth, everything will be uncovered, and they will definitely come to account for the billions and millions they have stolen. So, they don’t want the processes to go through, they want to buy time for their criminals,” Abuga stated.
He further argued that the Minority lacks the moral right to make constitutional arguments over the matter, recalling the NPP’s historical opposition to the drafting and adoption of the 1992 Constitution.
“In 1991 and 1992, the very constitution that the NPP is now attempting to educate us about, they refused to join Ghanaians to consolidate it. When Parliament had to revise this constitution in 1993, they walked away and said they were not going to be part of that business.”
“Now this is the same constitution we all embraced, and today the NPP thinks they understand democracy better than anybody else. So, they don’t even have the moral right to make constitutional arguments,” he added.
Jacob Asomadawine, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Team in the constituency, however disagrees with Abuga’s assertions, maintaining that the Minority’s motion is grounded in sound legal reasoning.
“The Minority is raising a basic point, and they are right. Ghana is a country of rule of law and must ensure that we reap the full benefits of democracy. The motion is very clear, the updated Standing Orders of Parliament state that when a matter is in court, Parliament shall stay out of it, and the Constitution supports the same.”
“So, they are saying all pending legal cases concerning the removed Chief Justice should be resolved before the approval process continues,” Asomadawine explained.
He argued further that the process leading to the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was unfair and that the courts must be allowed to determine the legality of the action before a new appointment proceeds.
“Who is supposed to determine whether the former Chief Justice has a case or not? It is the courts. I am happy she didn’t pick up arms, she went to court and argued that her removal process was wrong, that the President cannot remove her as a Supreme Court judge because her removal process was triggered to remove her as Chief Justice. We need to see finality to this matter,” he said.
The Minority in Parliament has filed a motion calling for the suspension of all proceedings on the nomination of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice until all legal matters concerning the removal of Justice Gertrude Torkornoo are concluded.
Mike 105.3 FM | Navrongo | David Adapuna
