Former President John Dramani Mahama is demanding the immediate release of the detained NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region, Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor.
In a Facebook post on Friday evening, June 7, Mr Mahama condemned the detention of the NDC PC and called on the Ghana Police Service to reconsider their decision.
“There is no justification for the decision by the Inspector General of Police George Dampare, on the orders of the National Security Advisor, Albert Kan Dapaah, to detain a Parliamentary Candidate for the Awutu Senya East Constituency in Police custody.”
“This action, taken on the instructions of the National Security Secretariat, will needlessly raise the political temperature in the country and spark avoidable tension. The Police Service and the IGP must not allow themselves to be used to hang the peace and stability of our nation months before crucial national elections.”
“I call on the IGP, the Peace Council, the government, and the people of Ghana to recognise that justice is not just a moral imperative but a crucial prerequisite for maintaining peace and stability in a nation. We cannot allow the police service to be used to stifle opposition and intimidate innocent Ghanaians and political opponents in the run-up to the 2024 elections.”
Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor is currently detained at the Cantonments Police Station following her arrest on Friday.
This detention has triggered mass protests on social media and at the police station premises, with some describing the move as an attempt to silence the NDC.
Commenting on the development, the NDC’s 2024 flagbearer urged the IGP and the government to recognise the importance of justice in maintaining peace and stability and called for Naa Koryoo’s immediate release
Below is the full post on Facebook by John Mahama
There is no justification for the decision by the Inspector General of Police George Dampare, on the orders of the National Security Advisor, Albert Kan Dapaah, to detain a Parliamentary Candidate for the Awutu Senya East Constituency in Police custody.
This action, taken on the instructions of the National Security Secretariat, will needlessly raise the political temperature in the country and spark avoidable tension. The Police Service and the IGP must not allow themselves to be used to hang the peace and stability of our nation months before crucial national elections.
I call on the IGP, the Peace Council, the government, and the people of Ghana to recognise that justice is not just a moral imperative but a crucial prerequisite for maintaining peace and stability in a nation. We cannot allow the police service to be used to stifle opposition and intimidate innocent Ghanaians and political opponents in the run-up to the 2024 elections.
Clearly, the intention to detain her after she had already been granted bail is an attempt to intimidate the NDC Parliamentary candidate in her quest to unseat the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hawa Koomson, in the Awutu Senya East Constituency.
I urge the IGP to urgently reconsider his actions and release Naa Koryoo immediately for the sake of justice and
the stability of our nation.
It is high time the police fulfilled their duty to serve and protect all citizens, irrespective of their
political affiliations. #JusticeForNaaKoryoo #FreeNaaKoryooNow
