WORLD ACCEPTS RESULTS

EDITORIAL

This Is Reckless

 The continued refusal of Nana Akuffo-Addo and The New Patriotic Party (NPP) to accept the results of the December presidential election must be exceedingly worrying for all Ghanaians who want to see their country move forward.

This is especially so as the NPP - as the NPP has failed to provide a shred of evidence to back the wild allegations it is throwing about.

The NPP position is very strange having regard to the fact that all the election observers have come to the firm conclusion that the process was free and fair.

Indeed he worst part of the NPP agitation, is the unprovoked attack on the chairman of the Electoral Commission by former President John Kuffour.

The Insight is surprised that instead of calling his people to order, former President Kuffour is saying that the Electoral Commission should be blamed for any violence which will erupt.

Why should violence erupt after free and fair elections?

What Nana Akuffo-Addo and the NPP are doing can only amount to extreme recklessness.

WORLD ACCEPTS RESULTS

Nana Akufo Addo, Defeated NPP Presidential Aspirant.

With the exception of Nana Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) the whole world has accepted the results of the December presidential and parliamentary elections. 

Countries and global institutions have loudly commended the people of Ghana for demonstrating a clear commitment to the democratic experiment.

Former President Olusegu Obasanjo of Nigeria was amongst the very first to accept that the elections were free, fair and transparent.

He event went to the extent of advising Nana Akufo- Addo and the NPP not to go to court over their apparent grievances but to accept the results in good faith.

Obasanjo was followed almost immediately by president Yayi  Boni of Benin who doubles as the chairperson of the African Union (AU).

President Boni advised the New Patriotic Party to concede defeat and stated in the clearest possible terms that the elections were free and fair.

In the United State of America, President Barack Hussein Obama has congratulated President Mahama and the people of Ghana for a successful election.

 The US says it is encouraging all parties to accept the results and to use appropriate legal processes to resolve any electoral disputes.

“The United states places a high value an its long-standing friendship and partnership with Ghana and the Ghanaian people” he said.

President obama said “we look forward to strengthening our bonds by working with President Mahama and the people of Ghana to ensure prosperity, peace, and further democratic development of Ghana and the region.”

The United Kingdom has also welcomed the outcome of the 2012 presidential election in Ghana.

The UK’s Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds said “I congratulate John Dramani Mahama on his election as Presidential of Ghana and on elections that were widely recognized to be free, fair and transparent”.

The largest elections observation network in Ghana, CODEO has urged the NPP presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo to show good competitor qualities b congratulating the President-elect John Mahama.

 CODEO says the elections were free, fair and transparent.

More than 70 per cent of the electorate voted in the election, the sixth since 1992.

Let us all respect outcome of the general polls – Danso

Former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP), Mr Samuel Kwabena Danso, has pleaded with all Ghanaians to accept the outcome of the general elections in good faith.

"What is important is for us to stay united and to work together to move the nation forward", he said.

"The Electoral Commission (EC) having declared Mr John Dramani Mahama, the President-elect, nobody should do anything to mar the beauty of the country’s democracy", he stated.

He said although there were some challenges, these were to be expected in every election.

He cited his personal experience, where the Biometric Verification Device (BVD) could not recognize him and therefore could not vote.

He, however, suggested a meeting between the EC and the political parties to discuss ways of preventing a repeat of those challenges in future elections to allow all registered voters to exercise their franchise.

Mr Danso touched on the performance of his party, the CPP, and said he found it most disappointing.

It is a big disgrace to the Central Committee, for a party that had twice led the nation, to manage just 20,323 votes in the presidential polls, out of the total of 11,245,952 ballots was not something anyone could be proud of.

He praised the National Peace Council and the security agencies for their tremendous role that helped the elections to pass off peacefully. 

ECOWAS observer mission lauds Ghana elections

Former Nigerian Prez, Olusegun Obasanjo

Nigeria’s former President and leader of the ECOWAS observer mission has lauded Ghana’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Speaking in a meeting with President Mahama at his residence, General Olesegun Obasanjo said despite the breakdown of the verification machines which was being used for the first time, the elections has been relatively peaceful and successful.

According to Gen. Obasanjo, Ghana has once again demonstrated to Africa and the rest of the world that its democracy has truly advanced.

He added that he hopes that Nigeria would learn from Ghana’s commitment to conduct free and fair elections.

Gen. Obasanjo said "We (Nigeria) hope to join you (Ghana) soon as vanguards of democracy"

On his part, President Mahama thanked the ECOWAS observer mission for playing its part in the country’s successful elections.

President Mahama stated that he was confident that due to the success of peaceful elections held in the past Ghana would come through this year’s election unscathed.

He thanked Ghanaians for conducting themselves in a very matured manner adding that the NDC is ready to accept any result that would come from the EC.