Former Attorney General Martin Amidu has strongly criticised the Speaker of Parliament for defying the Supreme Court’s authority following the October 30 decision, which dismissed the Speaker’s application to overturn an order on a recent parliamentary ruling.
In a pointed article, the former Special Prosecutor emphasised that the Speaker’s actions disrupt constitutional order.
“The Supreme Court is the final repository of judicial power in the determination of controversies affecting the citizen and the state,” he said.
He warned that compliance with the Court’s rulings is not optional, calling it a “mandatory requirement of the Constitution and the rule of law as distinct from the rule of the jungle.”
Martin Amidu expressed frustration at the Speaker’s attempt to undermine the judiciary by questioning the legitimacy of Supreme Court justices, especially given that they were nominated and approved through a bi-partisan parliamentary process.
“It is one thing criticising the nomination…for approval, and another to allege bias…without any shred of evidence,” Mr Amidu wrote.
He added that each justice deserves the “presumption of impartiality” until concrete proof suggests otherwise.
The former Special Prosecutor underscored the critical role of the judiciary in maintaining democratic stability, noting that the Speaker’s defiance sets a dangerous precedent.
By seeking to “hold the nation to ransom,” Martin Amidu argues, the Speaker not only undermines Ghana’s constitutional system but also risks disrupting the delicate balance of powers among the branches of government.
This defiance, he contends, could threaten the entire constitutional framework, saying, “The wheels of government must move smoothly while the judiciary exercises the judicial power apportioned to it under the Constitution.”
Mr Amidu concluded his message with a stark reminder that democratic values must take precedence over political affiliations, urging the Speaker to respect the Supreme Court’s role as the ultimate arbiter of constitutional disputes.
“Parliaments and governments may come and go,” he stated firmly, “but the Republic of Ghana shall always endure.”