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Politics of Monday December 21, 2020
Source: Class FM
2020-12-21
NDC Standard Bearer John Dramani Mahama
The National Peace Council has urged the Democratic National Congress (NDC) to call its supporters to order to stop vandalizing and destroying property as they protest and march against the results of the December 7 elections as stated by the Electoral Commission. .
This follows a series of rallies held by NDC supporters across the country to show their rejection of the election results.
Of the total of 13,119,460 valid votes cast, the incumbent, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), obtained 6,730,587 votes representing 51.302 percent.
His closest contender, the presidential candidate of the largest opposition party, former President John Dramani Mahama, got 6,213,182 representing 47.359 percent.
Subsequently, the NDC accused the Electoral Commission of presenting “flawed” and “rigged” results in favor of President Akufo-Addo.
But the National Peace Council, in a press release issued by its president, the Rev. Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, asked the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), that they “respect the peace documents they have signed asking their followers to refrain from acts of violence and vigilantism after the December elections.”
The National Peace Council, therefore, encouraged the NDC, in particular, and those harboring an election-related complaint, to “use established processes to address their electoral disputes.”
The National Peace Council congratulated the Electoral Commission for the efficient and effective conduct of the elections.
Read the full statement below:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The National Peace Council wishes to thank almighty God for accompanying Ghana in the eighth general elections in the Fourth Republic and congratulating Ghanaians for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections on Monday, December 7, 2020.
Furthermore, we wish to congratulate the Electoral Commission for the good work carried out in ensuring the efficiency of the biometric devices used during the voting process.
The Council thanks all political parties, the national electoral security working group, international observation missions, national election observers, civil society organizations, religious bodies, and the media for their independent and objective evaluation. of the electoral processes that greatly contributed to the peaceful conduct of the elections.
The almost absence of political surveillance activities in the hot spots identified by the Police, the Electoral Commission and the National Peace Council before and after the December 7 elections is commendable. In fact, this was a demonstration of the political parties’ commitment to the roadmap and code of conduct that they signed after the dialogue to eradicate political vigilantism in Ghana.
However, the National Peace Council regrets the outbreaks of violent incidents, including protest actions that took place during and after the collation and the declaration of the election results, some of which resulted in injuries and deaths. For example, a Joint Operations Center of the National Electoral Security Working Group recorded 61 election-related and post-election incidents from December 7-9, 2020. Twenty-one (21) of these were election-related violence, six of which were which involved shots that, unfortunately, culminated in the death of some citizens. Among the electoral districts that registered violence were Odododiodio, Savelugu, Ablekuma Central, Awutu Senya East, Upper Denkyira and Techiman South.
While we express our condolences to the bereaved families, we strongly condemn these incidents and call on the police and other investigative bodies to hold the perpetrators to account in accordance with the laws of the country.
In order to preserve Ghana’s credentials of peace and democracy, the Council calls on all those who are challenging the outcome of the elections to do so within the legal framework and guided by the 1992 Constitution, the Parties Act. Politicos (2002), Jurisprudence based on the 2012 Supreme Court election petition and Regulation 127 (CI), among others.
Furthermore, the National Peace Council would like to draw the attention of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (PNP) to their public commitment to peace and non-violence when their Presidential Candidates before December 7, 2020 Presidential & Parliamentary elections signed the Peace Pact on December 4, 2020. It is also worth referring to the admonition of His Honor the President of the Supreme Court at the event, where he called all those who may have grievances derived from the elections to seek redress. legal in court rather than on the streets.
It is from this backdrop that the National Peace Council particularly encourages the NDC and any other politician with grievances to use established processes to address their electoral disputes.
The Council recalls recourse to the courts to seek redress when the PNP was not satisfied with the 2012 general elections, which resulted in quite positive results that led to significant reforms in Ghana’s electoral system. Along the same lines, the National Peace Council encourages the NDC to follow its example to deepen our democratic achievements instead of taking to the streets; a potential threat that can provoke post-election violence and spoil the entire peaceful electoral process.
In compliance with the above observations, the NPC makes the following recommendations:
The media must be sensitive to the possible escalation of violence and approach their work with circumspection and professionalism.
The Police must enforce the laws without fear or favor and investigate all crimes committed to guarantee justice. They are encouraged to deal strictly, in accordance with the law, with those who want to use the genuine concern of electoral contenders to further trouble in the country.
The Democratic National Congress and the New Patriotic Party must defend the peace documents they signed calling on their supporters to refrain from acts of violence and vigilantism after the December elections.
The Democratic National Congress, in particular, should restrain its followers from acts of vandalism and destruction and encourage them about the party’s willingness to resort to legal process to address their complaints.
All religious and faith-based organizations must continue to urge their supporters to avoid acts of violence and to use non-violent mechanisms to address their electoral disputes.
The Council calls on the National Chamber of Chiefs and all our respected traditional rulers to condemn any act of violence within their traditional areas to ensure peace after the elections.
Finally, the National Peace Council calls on the general public to continue to exercise restraint in addressing any outstanding issues in order to preserve the peace and stability of Ghana.
God bless our homeland Ghana
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