Minority will not vote on you today until you give us reasons for removing James Quayson from Parliament — Ayariga tells Justice Torkornoo

Mahama Ayariga, a lawmaker from Bawku Central, informed Chief Justice Nominee Gertrude Torkornor that the Minority side on the Appointments Committee of Parliament had difficulty participating in her vetting.

He said the CJ nominee was one of the seven Supreme Court Justices who ordered Parliament to remove James Gyakye Quayson's name from its records.

Mahama Ayariga said they had a challenge with the apex court’s refusal to give the reasoning for the orders.

“The Minority had a reservation because you participated in the decision involving James Quayson. You did not give a reason for your judgment so as we speak we don’t know the basis on which the court arrived at that conclusion. There is uncertainty among us as MPs knowing that our Supreme Court is a Constitutional Court that should guide us as a country as to how to run public affairs

"But we have reached a negotiated position with our colleagues. We will not vote on you today after this hearing, when we finish today when the SC gives the reason we will have another opportunity to now assess on the basis of the quality of the reasoning of the court and then we can take the debate,” Mahama Ayariga stated during the vetting on Friday, May 26.

Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson stated that they were awaiting the written ruling from the Supreme Court on the Assin North lawmaker in support of Mr. Ayariga's comment.

“We will be focusing on her judgement on her running from the time she went to the Supreme Court,” the Ajumako Enyan Essiam lawmaker said.

Justice Torkornor in response to their questions said, “The Supreme Court is not a court unless there are five or seven people.

“My answer is that I have given hundreds of judgments from High Court till now, it would be a great relief if I am assessed on my work as a whole, not the judgments of the Supreme Court."

“Seven people are working together that is why very often, almost invariably every judgement that is given the reasons come out long after the orders,” Justice Tokornor emphasised.