Special Prosecutor nominee Martin Amidu sued by NDC MP over age

Dr. Dominic Ayine[/caption] The Member of Parliament for Bolgantanga East Constituency, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has dragged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s nominee of Special Prosecutor to the Supreme Court. Dr Ayine, a Deputy Minister of Justice in the previous government, is contending that it will be ineligible for Martin Alamisi Amidu to be appointed as a public office holder given his age. He has also sued the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo. [caption id="attachment_51933" align="alignnone" width="564"] Mr. Amidu [L] and Ms. Akuffo [R][/caption]Mr Amidu, 66, was nominated Special Prosecutor by President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, January 11. He was scheduled to be vetted by Parliament on Tuesday, February 13. But Dr Ayine’s suit wants, inter alia, a declaration that by reason of his age, the anti-graft campaigner is not qualified or eligible to be approved by Parliament as the Special Prosecutor under Section 13(3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2018 (Act 959). The suit was filed on Monday by solicitors Lithur Brew and Company. Mr Amidu was born on September 6, 1951 and according to Dr Ayine, by the “true” and “proper” interpretation of Articles 190, 191, 199 and 295 of the 1992 Constitution, he is not qualified to be approved by Parliament. In his writ, he said by the nomination, both the president and the Attorney General have violated the constitution. “I pray therefore that [Mr Amidu’s] nomination and appointment be declared null and void and of no effect. If, notwithstanding the pendency of this suit, Parliament proceeds to approve his appointment, I pray also that such approval should be declared null and void and of no effect.” By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana Follow @kwame_amoh]]>