The former Special Prosecutor, Martin A.B.K Amidu has vehemently refused to retract and apologize for allegations he made against the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Honourable Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin following the later request.
Mr Amidu, in dismissing the Speaker of Parliament’s calls for retraction and apology, further asserted that the statement from the Speaker’s outfit to the media cannot be considered a rejoinder to his original publication dated May 26, 2024.
He also emphasized that he had not made any claims that warranted a retraction or apology as requested by the statement issued by the Head of the Speaker’s Communications Unit.
“I have read a statement from the Office of the Speaker of Parliament with reference number OP/SPK/K1/33 dated 28 May 2024 signed by one Peter Bamfo (Head-Speaker’s Communications Unit) ‘To All Media Houses’ in which the Speaker requests Mr Amidu to do the honourable thing and withdraw his statement and apologize unreservedly to the Speaker of Parliament…within seven days from the date of the release of this rejoinder.
“I have done nothing for which I need to withdraw, retract, and apologize within seven days to Mr. Bagbin who is dissipating the public purse needlessly in Dubai for health challenges which are treatable or manageable in Ghana”.
Martin A.B.K Amidu
The former Special Prosecutor further clarified that his question about an alleged secret meeting held in Dubai was directed at the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and its flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, and not at the Speaker.
According to Mr Amidu, the intended year for the meeting was 2022, not 2021 as mistakenly typed in his publication, questioning why Mr Bagbin had no issues with him [Martin Amidu] describing him [Alban Bagbin] as a “self-confessed corrupt” Speaker of Parliament but took issue with a question that did not reference any secret meeting involving him.
Mr Amidu also posited that the Speaker of Parliament’s failure to deny the corruption allegations levelled against him in his last publication implicitly affirmed his assertion that he [Alban Bagbin] is a “self-confessed corrupt person”.
Mr Amidu further asserted that the inability of the Speaker of Parliament to deny the corruption allegations means that the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin has no reputation whatsoever that can be defamed by him [Martin Amidu].
He emphasised that there is abundance and available proof in audio and online that can affirm the Speaker of Parliament’s confession of being corrupt.
Calls for Legal Action
Moreover, the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice under the late Professor John Atta Mills’s administration, Martin A. B.K Amidu challenged the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin to defend his integrity by taking legal action against him if he felt defamed by his publication.
Mr Amidu further expressed his readiness to use such a court case to subpoena Mr Bagbin’s passport and other records, intending to expose what he described as the needless dissipation of public funds on Mr Bagbin’s trips to Dubai for treatments that could be managed in Ghana.
“The several millions of local and foreign currency dissipated on you alone to and in Dubai from the public purse would have purchased hundreds of dialysis machines for treating thousands of ordinary and needy Ghanaians.
“Mr. Bagbin, if you think my article defames you in any way, defend your integrity and honour by issuing a writ of summons and a statement of claim against me in a court of law”.
Martin A.B.K Amidu
Mr Amidu concluded his remarks by asserting that he would not be intimidated by Mr Bagbin or his associates, including Mr Asiedu Nketiah, former President John Dramani Mahama, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, or any media organization in his bid to defend the 1992 Constitution.
He vehemently defended his statements and refused to retract or apologize, challenging Speaker Alban Bagbin to take the matter to court if he feels defamed, asserting his readiness to expose what he perceives as the misuse of public funds for Mr Bagbin’s medical trips.
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