The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin led his people out of the vetting room
The Minority Caucus has announced its decision to reject the nomination of Dr. Justice Srem-Sai as Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice-designate following a contentious vetting session that ended abruptly due to a heated exchange between Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, and Ranking Member, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin.
During the vetting on Wednesday, February 26,2025, tensions escalated when the Ranking Member of the Appointments Committee and Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin requested the nominee to demonstrate a traditional dance, emphasising the importance of cultural understanding.
Bernard Ahiafor deemed the request inappropriate and overruled it, leading to a sharp disagreement.
Subsequently Afenyo-Markin accused Ahiafor of being whimsical and capricious, while Bernard Ahiafor demanded a retraction, asserting his authority over the proceedings.
Afenyo-Markin firmly stated that the Minority has rejected the nomination of Dr. Srem-Sai as Deputy Attorney General following the heated dispute.
“We are protesting your conduct in abruptly ending the nominee’s vetting on the grounds that I refused to withdraw my dissatisfaction with your ruling. I described your actions as whimsical and capricious, and I also noted that you rudely made those expressions.
“We do not think that, in the spirit of cooperation, you should put up such a posture,” he noted.
Afenyo-Markin further accused Bernard Ahiafor of bias in handling proceedings, citing an earlier incident involving Member of Parliament of Weija/Gbawe, Ahmed Jerry Shaib, whom they claim was also unfairly interrupted.
“The Attorney General himself interrupted, yet you curiously claimed you never heard him. Then the Majority Chief Whip also disrupted the session, though not into the microphone. This was clearly meant to obstruct the process. Eventually, you allowed him to ask a so-called follow-up question,” he added.
He noted that despite smooth vetting sessions since Monday, February 24, 2025, they have also rejected the nominations of Alhassan Suhuyini, Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways-designate who had been vetted already, Sulemana Yussif, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources-designate, and Yussif Issaka Jajah, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts-designate.
The Minority eventually staged a walkout from the vetting.
JKB/AE
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