I’m not non-conformist — Martin Amidu

The Special Prosecutor nominee, Mr Martin A.B.K Amidu, has insisted that Dr Obed Asamoah under whom he worked as a Deputy AttorneyGeneral is not his boss.

 “Mr Chairman, in the first place Dr Asamoah is not my boss. He did not pay my bills through the law school. He was called to the Bar, I was called to the Bar. He didn’t appoint me Deputy Attorney General. I was appointed Deputy Attorney General before he came there and I served under Aikins, Nana Tandoh. Mr Forson came for six months before he was asked to act, and we are colleagues. Except that he was Attorney General and I was the deputy and therefore I knew my place and worked with him. That doesn’t make him my boss. You’re reading a self- serving book, in which he wanted to be the  running mate. He was bypassed; the Presidential candidate saw his deputy more competent and excellent than him.”

Mr Amidu was responding to a question posed to him by Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, when he appeared before the Appointments Committee last Tuesday.

The question was based on a book written by the former Attorney general, Dr Obed Asamoah.

The MP, who is a member of the Appointment Committee quoting from page 465 of a book authored by former Attorney General, Obed Asamoah, under whom Mr Amidu worked which is titled: Political History of Ghana 1950-2013, the Experience of a Non-Conformist” asked the latter what he made of a damning verdict passed on him by his former boss when his choice as a running mate to candidate Mills was described as “unproductive move” and a candidate who would not be beneficial to the ticket.

Throwing light in his response, Mr Amidu, known for being blunt, said “…In any case the law reports demonstrate that while he was doing that, I was going to court. He didn’t train me, and if you say he’s erudite, that’s your comment. I regret that you brought his book and you want to knock my head against his. In his recent interview he described me as a man of honesty, but you see, you people you’ll collapse your old people by reading these things and I’ll react this way.”

According to him, “Dr Asamoah calls me, even when I was Attorney General and he was accused. He called me, Amidu, did this happen?” and I told him it didn’t happen. So I’m on good terms with him, but because of vetting we’re doing this. I don’t think it’s good. I would have let the question pass but the public will understand it otherwise’’.

Meanwhile, reporrts indicated that the Appointment Committee has by consensus recommended Mr Amidu for approval by Parliament.