The IGP’s Secretary and his campaign poster
A superior police officer, who is the Executive Secretary to the Inspector-General of Police, has sent tongues wagging both in the law enforcement system and the political circles about his voluntary resignation to join the parliamentary race on the ticket of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Superintendent Peter Lanchene Tuubo has headed for the Wa West Constituency of the Upper West Region where he hails from to try his luck at the NDC’s primary as the first step towards contesting the seat in 2020.
His bravado in resigning from a secure career and jumping into the unknown plane of political contests has surprised many.
He appears to have an assurance of victory even as many wonder at the risky venture he has veered into.
His May 1, 2019, resignation date is evidential of his active participation in partisan politics for a considerable period to qualify to pick nomination forms to contest the seat among the over 40 others vying for the 11 constituencies in the Upper West Region.
All parties have laid-down qualifications for nomination for parliamentary elections, two of which require that the candidates should have lived in the constituency and be in good standing over a certain number of years and should be active participant of party activities. These put the professionalism of the gentleman on the line when he was a serving officer.
That his boss the IGP and the Police Service could not discover the superior officer’s flirtation with a political party is also an issue being discussed in street gossip within and outside the Police Service.
Social media was abuzz with the news and expectedly accompanied by negative footnotes about police officers engaged in partisan politics and its negative impact on efficient enforcement of the law.
Peter Tuubo is noted for speaking out against unprofessional conduct within the law enforcement system in the country. He would be locking horns with Joseph Yiele Chireh, the incumbent MP for the area and a former Local Government Minister.
DAILY GUIDE has learnt that his request has been granted by the Police Administration. There are, by this development, many in the Police Service who flirt with political parties much to the disadvantage of efficient policing in the country.
By A.R. Gomda