The 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has expressed astonishment at the police administration's decision to distance itself from DCOP Gabriel Prince Waabu's comments on election security. Speaking at the Ahmadiya Muslim Mission’s centenary celebration in Gomoa Pomadze, Central Region, Mahama found it strange for the Service to disassociate itself from a statement of fact and even consider subjecting DCOP Waabu to internal discipline.DCOP Gabriel Prince Waabu, Director General in Charge of Research, had made comments during the launch of Joy FM’s 2024 elections coverage, stating, “We’re not maybe going to involve the military... It’s going to be only the Police, the Prisons, Fire, and then Immigration that are going to conduct this election. They are going to support us; it is our baby.”

Responding to concerns about violent incidents involving the elections security taskforce, DCOP Waabu clarified that elections are internal matters within the police's clear-cut mandate. However, this did not sit well with the police administration, which apologized to the military.

John Mahama described the police response as unacceptable and emphasized the need for security services to maintain neutrality for a peaceful election. He defended DCOP Waabu's assertion that election security is the primary responsibility of the police service. Mahama emphasized that the police decide on inviting sister security services to participate in the National, Regional, and District Election Security Taskforce.

Addressing the role of the military, Mahama highlighted that the Ghana Armed Forces are called upon when the police cannot handle a situation.

He stressed that election security is not part of the immediate mandate of the military, stating, “The military is not supposed to be in polling centers or collation centers but deployed to a safe location when the police cannot handle a situation.”