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Police ban motorbikes at NDC presidential primaries on Saturday

The police administration yesterday placed a ban on the use of motorbikes at all polling centres during the presidential primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) slated for Saturday, February 23.

According the Police, no motorbike whether registered or unregistered would be allowed at the voting centre, saying that all persons who have nothing to do at the centres and are there to observe proceedings should stay at least 50 metres away from the centres.

The Director-General of Police Operations, Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) George Alex Mensah, disclosed this to the Ghanaian Times in an interview yesterday.

He said the police were ready for the exercise, adding that there were enough personnel and logistics for the Saturday’s operation.

The Director-General cautioned ‘trouble makers’ to desist from their activities, stressing that the police would deal with anybody who would take the laws into their own hands.

He called for collaboration between the public and the police to ensure peace and order all the centres.

The Director-General of the Police Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), David Senanu Eklu, said police commanders had been directed to liaise with party executives in all the constituencies for security.

He said personnel would be deployed to all the collation centres including the headquarters in Accra.

The Director-General urged party executives to cooperate with the Police by encouraging party supporters to be law abiding.

ACP Eklu said the use of offensive weapons such as knives, weapons would not be tolerated at all the centres.

The fate of seven candidates, the highest in the party’s history, hangs on the thumbs of about 270,000 delegates who would vote in the primary to be conducted simultaneously across all 275 constituencies, nationwide.

Seven candidates are contesting for the nod as presidential candidate to lead the party in the 2020 general elections.

Former President John Dramani Mahama, is making history in the country as the first former president to seek the bid to reclaim the power he lost.

He is third on the ballot and is being challenged by six others including Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, and businessman, Alhaji Nurudeen Iddrisu who are first and second respectively on the ballot.

Others are former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority, Sylvester Mensah, fourth; former Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, fifth; businessman, Goosie Tanoh, sixth; former Vice Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Professor Joshua Alabi, seventh.

Meanwhile, Kingley E. Hope reports from Kumasi that the Ashanti Regional Police Command has resolved to provide adequate security to ensure incident-free elections, devoid of violence and acts of lawlessness.

This comes barely two days after some unidentified men opened fire indiscriminately killing one and wounding others on Monday.

It was during a meeting of national executives and the rank and file of the party to resolve some impasse between the regional executives and party members to ensure a united front in the region ahead of the primaries.

A statement signed by the Public Affairs Officer Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Godwin Ahianyo, in Kumasi indicated that the police have banned the use of motorbikes, following a meeting with the executives of the party in the Ashanti Region.

It said anyone seen with a motorbike close to the polling centres would be arrested and the motorbike impounded.

According to the statement the police would not entertain bussing of party task force members to the polling stations.

A police taskforce, the statement said, had been formed to visit the various centres to arrest any motorbike rider that would be found loitering around.

BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI

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