NaabuGate: The IGP cannot determine outcome of elections – Dampare

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare says no individual has the power to determine the outcome of elections as it was heard in the leaked tape.

Speaking before Parliament’s Committee tasked to probe into a ‘leaked IGP tape’ to oust him from office, he said, elections constitute several stakeholders who have individual significant roles to play and hence, no entity is superior to the other or has the sole authority to determine the results of elections.

“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 added that the assumption that the strength of his personality and what he stands for could decide the aftermath of elections is just someone’s opinion and he cannot influence that.

However, he will continue to be diligent and honest with his job and professionally work as a team with his commanders.

“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.

A few months ago, there was a leaked tape which centres on a plot to oust the IGP.

The conversation in the tape involved the Director General of Operations for the Ghana Police Service, COP George Alex Mensa and Former Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu who recorded the tape.

In the leaked audio, COP Mensah was heard telling Bugri Naabu that the NPP should forget winning the next general elections if the current IGP remains in office.

To convince the politician, Commissioner Mensah cited the rigorousness of the security the IGP provided during the recent Assin North by-election, emphasising that he will do the same or even worse, which might foil any attempt by the NPP to steal victory in the 2024 elections.

“This IGP won’t help us. He won’t, he wants everything to be done fairly and we don’t win elections that way. If we don’t remove him, we can’t break the 8, in politics we need machinations and this IGP won’t allow that,” Commissioner Mensah said in the leaked audio.

He went further to express frustration that all his efforts to convince President Akufo-Addo to sack the IGP have proved futile.

“The President is not listening, I have been telling him. Even if they don’t want to give me the job, they should give it to another person but they don’t want to listen,” he lamented.