General News of Monday, 9 November 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

You are not worth the vote - Amidu replies Mahama 'stupidity' comment

Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu

Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has issued a strong-worded rebuttal to former President Mahama’s description of his decision to defer investigation into the Airbus Scandal as ‘cowardly and stupid’.

According to Martin Amidu, Mahama’s response to his comment is a clear indication of his lack of appreciation for issues of security and intelligence.

Amidu veered into the politics by averring that if Mahama does not understand why he had to put his investigations on hold then he deserves not to be voted as president of the country.

The Special Prosecutor defended his decision to put the probe of Mahama on ice.

“The long public service of the Special Prosecutor spanning various aspects of security and intelligence from the period of 1982 to 7th January 2001 and July 2009 to January 2012 makes him more experienced in determining when it is not conducive to the national security interest to foolhardily take certain law and order actions. The Special Prosecutor owes that exercise of discretion to his vast experience over the years, his responsibility to maintain national stability and his conscience as a patriotic anti-corruption crusading Ghanaian,” Amidu detailed in his rebuttal.

He added: “there is no question of stupidity or cowardice about it. Any person aspiring to be President of Ghana for a second term who does not know that a cardinal principle in security and intelligence is that “caution is the better part of valour” was not and is not worth the vote”.

Martin Amidu also challenged Mahama to avail himself for interrogation if he is indeed not the ‘Government Official 1’.

“Your Excellency, the wise and the brave former President John Dramani Mahama, man-up, wise-up, and be brave enough to come with two lawyers of your own choice to be cautioned and interrogated by this Office to demonstrate your valour and wisdom as not being elected Government Official 1 and also as not being the first guarantor to Samuel Adam Mahama’s passport application,” Amidu said in a statement issued on Monday, November 9, 2020.

What did Mahama say

Mahama lashed out at the Special Prosecutor after he accused him of being the ‘Government Official 1’ in the controversial Airbus scandal.

Not only did Mahama distance himself from the claims of Amidu but he also described his actions as ‘stupid and cowardly’.

“If you were man enough, present Agyapa and do a report on Airbus separately, and then I will come and answer you on Airbus. If you think I am indicted on Airbus, accuse me directly.

“But because he is a coward and they knew Agyapa was going to be discussed today, so he put a paragraph on Airbus to equalise the discussion. What stupidity is this?” he quizzed.