Vetting of CJ: Haruna Iddrisu must also recuse himself – Majority Leader tells Minority

Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu says calls for the Chairman of the Appointment Committee of Parliament, Joe Osei Owusu to recuse himself from the vetting of the Chief Justice nominee, Justice Anin Yeboah is baseless.

The Majority Leader who was very dismissive of such calls in an interview on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM maintained that there is no strong affinity between the nominee and Hon. Joe Osei Owusu who doubles as the 1st Deputy Speaker.

“They’re just learned colleagues because they were both Lawyers in the past. Apart from that, there is no strong basis for someone to demand that because of their relationship, Joe Osei Owusu should recuse himself from the Appointment Committee. If that is the case then one can also say Haruna Iddrisu must also recuse himself because he’s also a Lawyer.” he told host Kweku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa.

The nominee is set to appear before the Appointments Committee on Saturday but the Minority has announced its decision to boycott the vetting process, saying Hon. Osei Owusu has demonstrated bad faith by rushing to fix a date for the vetting when a consensus has not been reached.

Meanwhile, the Majority Leader has said the hullabaloo about the nominee’s vetting by the Minority is needless.

“I don’t know why they keep changing the goal poles but in any case, we’d agreed on a timeline. However, we’re hoping to reach a middle-ground with them on the matter by close of the day so that the necessary things can be done.”