Martin Amidu dares Bagbin, says he won’t retract nor apologise

Former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has called the bluff of Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin over comments regarding the rationale behind a certain trip supposedly made by the latter.

Mr Amidu says he is not ready to apologise for the remarks made in his article.

This is despite a demand by Alban Bagbin for him to do so within seven days.

He said he would only apologise to his readers “for the accidental slip in typing the words “Dubai in 2021” instead of “Dubai in 2022″ in the question in paragraph 18 of my article dated 26 May 2024 and published on 27 May 2024, which I hereby apologise to them for.”

On May 28, the Speaker of Parliament denied allegations by former Special Prosecutor that he had a meeting with President Akufo-Addo in Dubai in 2021, prior to the rejection of the 2022 budget.

According to a statement released by the Speaker’s Communication Unit, the claims are baseless, unfounded, and part of a deliberate attempt to tarnish the Speaker’s reputation.

The statement signed by Peter Bamfo, said Mr Bagbin has a long record of distinguished and honest public service and will continue to put the interest of Ghana first.

“The Rt Hon Speaker will not be deterred from carrying out his public service duties, guiding and providing leadership for Parliament even in the face of insinuations, unprovoked attacks and unfounded allegations like Mr Amidu’s,”the statement added.

The clarification followed an allegation made by Mr Amidu in a write-up calling out the National Democratic Congress (NDC), its 2024 flagbearer and national chairman.

The Speaker called on Mr Amidu to retract what he described as false and malicious statements within 7 days or risk further action.

Read also: I had no meeting with Akufo-Addo in Dubai; retract and apologise – Bagbin to Martin Amidu
But Martin Amidu appears unfazed. In a fresh article dated May 29, the former Special Prosecutor said “I have done nothing for which I need to withdraw, retract, and apologise for 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.”

He added that “if you [Alban Bagbin] think my article defames you in anyway, defend your integrity and honour by issuing a writ of summons and a statement of claim against me in a court of law so that I
can prove to the whole world that the things I wrote against the NDC in which you were mentioned as its self-confessed corrupt Speaker are either true, justifiable, and constitute fair comments or questions on public matters on the conduct of a public officer, the Speaker, in the public interest.”