Several fervent supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have converged outside the Cantonments Police Station to protest the detention of Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor, the party’s parliamentary candidate for Awutu Senya East.
Okunor’s arrest by the police on Friday has ignited a firestorm of outrage within the NDC ranks, spurring intense demonstrations marked by party paraphernalia and chants calling for her immediate release.
The demonstrators, visibly incensed by what they have been told by ther leadership as an arbitrary and politically motivated incarceration, are voicing their discontent with unyielding fervor.
The NDC candidate was arrested for pulling a gun a registration centre.
Former President John Dramani Mahama added fuel to the fiery dissent with a scathing attack on the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare, and the National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, insinuating that Okunor’s detention was orchestrated to stifle her electoral campaign against incumbent Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson.
This allegation, according to Mahama, rings alarm bell for the looming 2024 elections, warning of potential unrest as a consequence of such heavy-handed tactics.
As the throngs of protesters grow in size and determination, the atmosphere outside the police station remains charged with emotion and resolve.
The police vigilantly stand guard, ensuring order amid the escalating tensions.
Calls for the unconditional release of Okunor reverberate throughout the gathering, resonating with a demand for transparency, impartiality, and respect for the fundamental tenets of democracy.
By Vincent Kubi