If the PPP/C Government makes good on its promise to take legal action against the Working People’s Alliance’s(WPA), Tacuma Ogunseye for certain racial utterances, the party member said he will fearlessly plead “guilty with an explanation.”
During a press conference on Tuesday, Ogunseye shared that he has not been contacted by the police or any investigation team regarding charges for his controversial remarks at a community rally a few weeks ago.
Should one of the charges pertain to treasonous behaviour, as suggested by government, Ogunseye said the WPA is willing to utilise “civil disobedience” as a response to the administration. Ogunseye opined that there needs to be a message sent to the administration.
He said, “We are prepared to use civil disobedience as an effective political weapon… When we look at the lineup of charges they have been uttering, treason seems to be the most severe of the threats. WPA publicly resolved, that once they come with treason charges, we will not treat it as a legal matter. We will see it as a political matter and I would go to court and plead guilty with explanation. That is our attitude to the charges.”
The WPA member said that while the party does not expect “violence” to occur, the day of civil disobedience would most likely take place on June 12, 2023 which is slated for Local Government Elections. He reiterated that it is important that a message be sent to the administration.
“It is important that African Guyanese find a way of making a profound political statement. And such statements are made either through the ballot box or in the streets. We believe that on June 12, we will be disposing a lot of resources in the mobilisation for the elections and it should turn into something meaningful,” Ogunseye said.
The WPA member has since received a plethora of condemnation from all facets of society, including some members of the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton last week supported the utterances made by Ogunseye, calling it “reality”, but at the same time noting that better language could have been used.
During a WPA meeting held in the village of Buxton two weeks ago, he urged persons in attendance to be “battle ready”; adding that the party along with the opposition will receive support from the disciplined services who “carry weapons because to me the institutions are made up of mostly Afro-Guyanese.”
