Police must show respect to disqualified presidential aspirants - PPP supporters

Supporters of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) are calling on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to conduct his officers to respect disqualified presidential aspirants who are to be arrested for mistakes on their nomination forms.

The United Kingdom and Ireland chapter of the party says they have noted with "disdain the issuance of arrest warrants to prospective Presidential Candidates to appear before the police Criminal Investigative Department (CID) by close of day October 21, 2016, or risk being arrested by the police department."

Some 12 presidential aspirants who are in a desperate legal tussle to overturn their disqualification by the Electoral Commission (EC) were issued arrest warrants to appear before the police Friday.

They face multiple charges of fraud, voting irregularities and have questions to answer, CID boss, Joseph Benefo Darkwah told Joy FM.

They have breached Article 53 of the constitution, C.I. 94 of the election regulation, the Criminal Offences Act, among other laws, ASP Darkwa chronicled.

They have been cautioned and we are waiting for them to come. We are using the media to inform them. If they don't come, we will go and arrest them, the CID boss warned.

However, the PPP supporters say, "If we compare the errors or mistakes on the forms submitted to the Electoral Commission (EC) by Dr. Nduom and other Presidential aspirants to the threats by the “Muntie three “which one should be classified as worse than the other?

Read the statement below:
PPP UK & IRELAND DISAPPOINTED BY GHANA POLICE SERVICE’S HARSH TREATMENT OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP), United Kingdom and Ireland Chapter has noted with disdain the issuance of arrest warrants to prospective Presidential Candidates of our Motherland Ghana to appear before the police Criminal Investigative Department by close of day, Friday 21st October 2016 or risk being arrested by the police department.

Whilst we believe in the rule of law, we would equally expect the Ghana Police Service to be very professional in serving the best interests of the very Ghanaians they are there to protect and serve.

Ghana is supposed to be a “Matured Democracy” and as such we expect our law enforcers to take no sides in the performance of their duties which, for all intents and purposes seems to be the case.

We, therefore, call on the Inspector General of Police to conduct his men and women in uniform to respect those who are putting themselves up to vie for the position of a Head of State but for some hiccups which are clearly being misconstrued as serious crimes.

Mind you, there were recent cases of serious crimes by the notorious “Muntie three” which ended up on the desk of our Head of State for a Presidential pardon which was granted as a matter of course because the three happened to be members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

If we compare the errors or mistakes on the forms submitted to the Electoral Commission (EC) by Dr. Nduom and other Presidential aspirants to the threats by the “Muntie three “which one should be classified as worse than the other?

The PPP believes that none of the Presidential aspirants is a crook or else the Electoral Commission wouldn’t have given them the forms to be completed in the first place.

It goes without saying therefore that one would expect the highest standards in policing ethics from our uniformed men and women as pertains in enlightened or more civilised societies.

The display of unprofessionalism by the Ghana Police Service in addressing the issue of a complaint by the Electoral Commissioner puts our democracy under scrutiny by the international community as the treatment meted out to some of our Presidential aspirants is well over the top and needs more to be desired by way of unqualified apologies to the prospective Presidential candidates.

---Signed---
Victor Nunoo
Secretary
PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE’S PARTY (PPP) UK & IRELAND CHAPTER

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