National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Hopeful, Prof. Joshua Alabi, wants the Inspector General of Police(IGP) to come clean about what he described as “the unusual activities of supposed police men clad in unfamiliar uniforms with masks, armed with AK-47 assault riffles with no badge numbers or name tags who were sighted during the Ayawaso west Wuogon by-election.
Prof. Alabi in a statement following the chaotic scenes that were reported earlier today from the polls insisted:”The Ghana Police Service owes itself a duty to explain the use of such an unkown unit in a by-election of this sort, investigate the horrendous crimes committed today and prosecute the culprits in no time.”
The statement further condemned the acts of violence that characterised the by-election, adding,”The use of violence in elections and within the conduct of any democratic exercise cannot and will not be countenanced in the run up to the 2020 general elections.”
Prof. Alabi however, commiserated with the injured and traumatized victims, assuring them of his support.
“I wish the injured NDC members a speedy recovery and assure them of my sincerest sympathies and utmost support in these difficult times,” the statement said.
Police say they have contained the reported shooting incident and chaos in the ongoing Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election that were seen earlier today.
Although the Police confirmed six recorded casualties out of the incident, it said:”…As of now there is no record of death resulting from that shooting incident,” the Police report said.
This is contrary to the NDC’s claims of some deaths as a result of the chaos in the constituency polls.
A Press statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs, Superintendent Sheilla Abayie-Buckman said:” The general public especially voters and residents of the constituency are encouraged to remain calm and go about their duties freely without fear as more Police officers have been deployed to maintain law and order.”
The statement further stated that the IGP has asked the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department to speed up investigations into the incident.
Meanwhile, the Press Release by the Police was silent on the unfamiliar security men that paraded various polling centres in today’s by-election with Police accouterments.
Below is the full statement by Prof Alabi
VIOLENCE IN THE AYAWAS WEST WUOGON BY-ELECTION; A SCAR ON OUR DEMOCRACY
I have been informed of the incidence of shooting and other related acts of violence in unprovoked attacks, resulting in some members of our great NDC party sustaining serious injuries during the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency by-election.
While I commiserate with the injured and traumatized victims, I wish to absolutely condemn these acts of violence being visited upon law abiding citizens who are exercising a democratic right to vote in an election.
I have also been briefed about the unusual activities of supposed police men clad in unfamiliar uniforms with masks, armed with AK-47 assault riffles with no badge numbers or name tags and patrolling within the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency in a manner that voters find intimidating.
The Ghana Police Service owes itself a duty to explain the use of such an unkown unit in a by-election of this sort, investigate the horrendous crimes committed today and prosecute the culprits in no time.
While I lend my support to the national leadership of our party as they address these matters through democratic means, I wish to call on party supporters to be resolute and not be intimidated by persons who believe that the only way to win political power is to deploy force and voilence.
The use of violence in elections and within the conduct of any democratic exercise cannot and will not be countenanced in the run up to the 2020 general elections. The government and all State institutions mandated to maintain law and order must remain loyal to our sacred Constitution and rid our politics of all forms of violence.
I wish the injured NDC members a speedy recovery and assure them of my sincerest sympathies and utmost support in these difficult times.
Prof. Joshua Alabi
Thursday, January 31st, 2019
Sunyani
