The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has emphasized that no single individual possesses the authority to determine the outcome of elections, as suggested in the leaked tape.
Addressing the parliamentary committee responsible for investigating the leaked IGP tape, he underscored the collaborative nature of elections, involving multiple stakeholders, each with its unique and significant role.
In his view, no entity holds superiority over others or possesses exclusive authority to influence election results.
“Honourable Chair, the most important thing is this, election involves so many stakeholders and each one has its role and the police also has its role.”
“And the election is a simple matter where each stakeholder plays its role and collectively we end up ensuring that it is over and the people then decide who becomes the leader.”
“So no entity or institution has some supremacy in terms of its role in ensuring that elections are successful, as far as I’m concerned, all the stakeholders have to play their role and because each role is unique, you cannot even be compelled to say which one is on top and which one is not,” he explained.
He further elaborated that no single entity or institution enjoys supremacy in determining the success of elections. He emphasized the uniqueness of each role and the impossibility of ranking their importance.
Dr. Dampare rejected the notion that his personal influence or beliefs could sway election outcomes, stating that such assumptions were merely opinions and not within his control.
“That is somebody’s opinion about me and I cannot question somebody’s opinion.”
‘Opinions are all over the place and as far as I’m concerned, I’ll continue to do my work, work in unity with my commanders across the country and do our job how it should be done, be it elections or any other matter,” he said.
However, he committed to maintaining diligence and professionalism in his role, collaborating effectively with his fellow commanders. He acknowledged that opinions about him varied and that he would continue to focus on executing his duties, whether related to elections or any other matter.
A few months prior, a leaked tape emerged, revealing discussions about a plot to remove the IGP from office. The conversation featured COP George Alex Mensa, the Director General of Operations for the Ghana Police Service, and Daniel Bugri Naabu, the Former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who recorded the tape.
In the leaked audio, COP Mensah expressed concerns that the NPP might struggle to win the upcoming general elections if the current IGP remained in office, citing the rigorous security measures employed during the recent Assin North by-election as evidence of the IGP’s dedication to maintaining order during elections.
