Stop "over-politicization" of Top Radio incident- CPP

Accra, Feb. 23, GNA - The Convention People's Party (CPP) on Tuesday strongly condemned the "over-politicization" of the arrest and remand of a New Patriotic Party (NPP) activist, following comments he made on Top Radio, an Accra-based FM station last Thursday.

"We are disturbed by the level of political heat, tension and polarization the incident has generated in the country for the past few days," a statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr William Dowokpor, Communications Director of the party, said.

"While we condemn the defamatory statement made by the NPP activist, we strongly condemn the police overreaction to the comments, as evidenced in the lightening speed with which they arraigned the activist and secured a two-week pre-trial detention for an offence which did not even warrant a denial of bail," the statement said.

It said the Accra High Court's decision to set aside the pre-trial detention order and the subsequent granting of bail to the NPP activist was a "commendable development consistent with the tenets of human rights and rule of law".

The party said following the granting of bail, it expected the political tension between the NDC and NPP to "cool down", for due process and rule of law to flourish.

"While we support efforts to entrench freedom of opinion and expression in Ghana, we are concerned that the very freedom of expression we are fighting for would be compromised if the rule of law and due process is not allowed to flourish," the statement said.

The Party thus urged the minority in parliament to call off their boycott and allow due process to prevail.

It also entreated the police to drop the criminal charges against the NPP activist and allow any complainant so defamed by the said comment to seek redress in his or her civil capacity at the law courts. The statement called on the government to live up to the expectation of not allowing state institutions such as the police to abuse the powers and discretion granted them by the Constitution.