Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice nominee, Justice Edem Srem-Sai took his turn at the vetting committee on Wednesday, February 26 2025.
Srem-Sai was the second nominee to face the Appointments Committee after Deputy Minister-designate for Roads and Highways, Alhassan Suhuyini’s successful session.
Minority Leader, Afenyo-Markin took his turn with the nominee after Srem-Sai had spent over an hour answering questions from the various committee members.
However, an interesting moment caught the attention of many during Afenyo-Markin’s turn with Justice Srem-Sai.
The minority leader after questioning the nominee about his hometown asked him to briefly demonstrate the ‘Akpi’ dance after the nominee ascribed to the dance as part of his tribe’s culture.
“Honourable Nominee, we are here to learn about our country, kindly demonstrate the Akpi dance for a bit, just for a second,” Afenyo-Markin asked the nominee.
In a sharp response, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor overruled Afenyo-Markin’s request asking Srem-Sai not to demonstrate the ‘Akpi’ dance.
He said the vetting procedure is not a forum for demonstrations but an Appointments Committee mandated to vet nominees.
“Honourable nominee, the question is overruled. You are not going to demonstrate,” Ahiafor stated.
In responding to the Chairman’s comment, Afenyo-Markin accused Ahiafor of rudely interrupting the proceedings, saying Bernard Ahiafor is acting “capriciously”.
“Chairman if you decide to be whimsical and capricious, it will not advance the work of this proceedings. Apart from the constitutional matters involved, it is also about our cultural. We’ve had nominees who have spoken their languages,” Afenyo-Markin remarked.
However, the Chairman took offense to the Minority Leader’s comment and demanded that he withdraw his comment and apologise.
“Honourable Minority Leader I take offense to you saying I’m acting whimsical and capricious so I urge you to withdraw those words you use on me,” Bernard Ahiafor demanded.
But Afenyo-Markin vehemently refused and stood by his comment.
“Chairman, I will not withdraw. You were whimsical and capricious in the way you overruled my question. I will not withdraw, I am sorry,” Afenyo-Markin noted.
This caused the Chairman, Bernard Ahiafor to end the vetting unexpectedly by ordering the Minority Leader not to proceed with asking any question further.
“Well, to demonstrate to you that I am the Chairman of this particular vetting committee, that may be your last question,” Ahiafor declared.
The Appointments Committee Chairman went ahead to discharge the Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice nominee.
