The disagreement arose when Afenyo-Markin posed a question regarding a past Supreme Court ruling
A moment of exchange unfolded during a vetting session in Parliament on Monday June 16, 2025, as Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin clashed with Bernard Ahiafor, the Appointments Committee chairman and 1st Deputy Speaker of the 9th Parliament, over a line of questioning directed at Supreme Court nominee Justice Gbiel Suurbaareh.
The disagreement arose when Afenyo-Markin posed a question regarding a past Supreme Court ruling to the nominee.
Before the judge could respond, Ahiafor interjected, insisting that since the ruling in question had already been delivered by the highest court, it would be inappropriate to seek the nominee’s opinion on it.
“Honourable members we need to operate within the rules, this is judgment delivered by the Supreme Court properly constituted, here is a nominee asking him his thought on a judgement delivered by the Supreme Court,” Ahiafor stated, arguing that soliciting the nominee’s view on a settled legal matter was unnecessary.
Afenyo-Markin, visibly irritated, pushed back against the interruption, accusing Ahiafor of overreaching his authority.
“We have had nominees expressing views on judgment, expressing views on judicial pronouncements, the nominee says he has read the judgement and I am asking a question within a certain context, I need to pick his views on it, it doesn’t mean he is going to condemn the judgment or question it then if you are ruling us out of order then why are we here,” he retorted.
Ahiafor then attempted to calm tensions by advising Afenyo-Markin to “take a cue.” That remark provoked a dramatic response.
“I should take a cue? O Jesus!” Afenyo-Markin exclaimed, drawing murmurs from the committee.
Ahiafor maintained his position, referencing a similar response from Justice Sir Dennis, another nominee, who had earlier stated that once a judgment has been delivered by the Supreme Court, it stands as the final position of the law and is not subject to further commentary.
AM/KA
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