- “All suspects are being taken through due process and provisionally cautioned on the offences of unlawful assembly, holding of special event without notification and obstruction. Those found culpable would be arraigned."
At least 26 supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) were arrested on Thursday for protesting and causing mayhem at the headquarters of the Electoral Commission, the police have confirmed.
Clad in red and black, the supporters besieged the EC headquarters to protest against alleged rigging of the 2020 election in favour of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The irate youth set car tyres ablaze and pelted stones resulting in gridlock on roads leading to the Electoral Commission.
The suspects are made up of 15 males and 11 females, according to a statement signed by the Accra regional spokesperson of the police, DSP Effia Tenge.
“The protestors, in the early hours of Thursday, 17 December 2020, thronged major streets leading to the Electoral Commission, amidst the burning of car tyres, pelting stones and causing heavy vehicular traffic and congestion,” the statement said.
It added: “The police, however, managed to disperse the crowd using a non-lethal riot control management approach and arrested 26 protestors in the process.”
“All suspects are being taken through due process and provisionally cautioned on the offences of unlawful assembly, holding of special event without notification and obstruction. Those found culpable would be arraigned,” the statement noted.
“No Mahama, No Peace”
Police had to spray water cannon to disperse the irate youth.
The supporters who thronged the EC headquarters at 8am were wielding placards with inscriptions such as “Stolen verdict”, “Don’t politicise the military” and “No Mahama, No Peace.”
Picketing
It was not the first time supporters of the party had gathered at the EC office to protest against the election results.
The NDC had earlier issued a statement announcing that it would be picketing the headquarters of the Electoral Commission of Ghana for two days.
“By this notice, we calling on all party members, cadres, all Ghanaians who cast their vote for change, to mass up at the headquarters of the EC,” the notice said.
The NDC said the picketing is to drum home “our collective resolve and rejection of the flawed election results declared by Jean Adukwei Mensa, chairperson of the EC”.
“All participants to this protest [sic] are to bring along water, food and mats to spend the night.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a responsibility to send a message to the people who think Ghana belongs to them alone,” the notice said. “This is our time to fight and correct the wrongs in our society and institutions.”
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