Five political parties and an independent presidential candidate in the 2020 Presidential elections have added their voices to calls imploring the Flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, and the party’s supporters to use judicial processes to address all their grievances if they do not agree with the results as declared by the Electoral Commission.
They said it was for such incidents that the electoral courts had been created, saying it was important for aggrieved persons to seek justice or redress legally, instead of trying to create tension.
Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday, the political parties, represented by their respective flag bearers, stressed that no political party was bigger than Ghana, and that it was important for all to respect and go by the peace pact signed ahead of the election.
They emphasised that Ghana is bigger than all political parties and individuals, and for any discrepancies emanating from the 2020 Election results, there is a judicial process for addressing them.
The parties include, The Convention Peoples Party, led by Ivor Greenstreet, the People’s National Convention (PNC), represented by Mr Albert Apasera; the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), represented by Mr Kofi Apaloo, Hassan Ayariga of the All Peoples Congress and Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, who was a Vice Presidential Independent candidate.
While calling for peace and calm, the leaders of the minority political parties also gave an assurance that they would visit President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Mr Mahama to impress on both of them to create an atmosphere that would enhance peaceful coexistence in Ghana
Making his submission, Mr Hassan Ayariga of the APC expressed concern about the tensed atmosphere that had been created across the country after the 2020 Parliamentary and Presidential results had been released, heightened by the NDC’s refusal to accept the results, as declared by the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Mensa.
He recalled the 2012 general elections, pointing out how, after losing that election and being dissatisfied with the outcome, the then NPP candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, sought redress in court.
The Flag bearer of the CPP, Mr Greenstreet, said although he was struggling to cope with the shocking news of his defeat, he still felt the need to add his voice and support to the call for peace.
When he took his turn, the Leader of the PNC, Mr Apasera, said having been at the losing end in elections since 2008, he knew how it felt, but said he accepted those results and moved on.
For his part, Dr Lartey urged Ghanaians, irrespective of their party affiliations, to support the policies that would be initiated by the NPP government, “so that Ghana will become the beacon of hope in Africa”.
Jacob Osei Yeboah expressed the hope that the NDC would finally accept the results for peace to reign in Ghana.
The NDC, in reaction to the EC’s declaration of Nana Akufo-Addo as the winner of the Presidential election, rejected the results, describing them as flawed.
Subsequently, the leadership of the party have held several press conferences to reiterate their rejection of the declared results and also began demonstrations in some parts of the country.
