President Akufo-Addo and John Mahama in an elbow greeting
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pledged his commitment to the peace and stability of the country, and has assured of his readiness to accept the verdict of the election.
“I have said that we believe in elections, and I am happy to give my word that we shall accept the verdict of the people of Ghana. Above all, I pledge that the peace, unity and safety of Ghana will be our primary consideration,” the President affirmed.
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday, December 4, 2020, when he delivered a statement at the 2020 Peace Pact ceremony, held at the Movenpick Hotel, Accra.
Presidential Candidates of the two major political parties in the country, the NPP represented by President Akufo-Addo and the NDC headed by former President John Dramani Mahama alongside other presidential candidates signed a Peace Pact put together by the National Peace Council (NPC).
Drama Galore
The ceremony was however, not without some drama as the former President Mahama turned the forum into a whining session with a plethora of what he claimed to be ‘concerns’ and started attacking the current administration.
Mr. Mahama said “recent events under the current administration have given many anxious moments of doubts about this administration’s ability to deliver a peaceful, violence free elections.”
That, he said, was because “the events of Ayawaso West Wuogon are fresh in our minds; this administration’s refusal to sanction persons involved in assaulting an Honourable Member of Parliament and injuring scores of people, remain one of the darkest place (sic) in our democratic history.”
Peace Agreement
Apart from that he said “reckless remarks by leading members of the ruling party that the unfortunate events of Ayawaso West Wuogon were just a dress rehearsal for the actual election do not inspire confidence for the delivery of a peaceful election.”
He however failed to give out the names of the supposed leading members of the NPP who had made the so-called comment.
While he admitted that a subsequent intervention by the National Peace Council led to the NPP and NDC signing an agreement of 22 deliverables for the eradication of vigilantism, Mr. Mahama said 18 were dependent on government which he claimed they had failed to sign.
Interestingly, the former President under whose watch a poor and innocent Ghanaian, Justice Adjakuma, was shot in the eye during a peaceful demonstration said “the loss of three lives in the Volta registration exercise also gives cause for worry.”
Volta ‘Siege’
According to him, “the military siege of the Volta Region and other locations during the registration exercise created intimidating atmosphere akin to a nation at war,” to the surprise of many.
“Let us strive to prevent the violence of the past, particularly as witnessed in 2019 during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections which till date had gone unsanctioned.”
The former President said “we need the institutions of our democracy to work impartially to deliver an outcome that is fair, transparent and in the national interest,” adding “the Electoral Commission, the judiciary, the security services and the media houses—the future of our nation is in their hands.”
US Precedent
The United States of America, he said, established a precedent where institutions of democracy upheld to the constitution, despite the severe verbal and legal assaults by a losing incumbent,” while asking rhetorically “will our institutions perform the same in the face of a similar situation?”
He grudgingly conceded that “It is my prayer that despite our deepest fears, we shall be proved wrong and Ghana will once again prove to be a beacon of democracy in Africa,” saying “let us on Monday exorcise the ghost of Ayawaso West Wuogon; my name is John Dramani Mahama and I stand for peace; let there be peace in Ghana before, during and after the elections,” insisting “elections are about counting heads and not cutting heads, so we will work together towards peaceful elections.”
Nana Shocked
On his part, President Akufo-Addo expressed surprise at Mr. Mahama’s issues.
Much as he was equally concerned about the events that took place during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by election, President Akufo-Addo declined the offer to engage in a controversy as Mahama sought to do, saying “whatever were acceptable recommendations of the Commission of Equity has been faithfully adhered to by the government.”
He was of the firm believe that best manifesto promises and policies will come to naught if there was no peace, saying “you can assemble the sharpest brains and the greatest workaholics to run a government, if there is no peace, your promises remain promises and you can even have a combination of the best policies, the brightest and most hardworking incorruptible people to run the government, if there is no peace, you cannot deliver on your promises,” he said.
No Messing Up
“I will say therefore that we the politicians and political parties are the most to lose if there is no peace; I dare say that there are some organizations and some individuals whose very existence depend on continuing turmoil in Africa and African nations being led to believe they will remain poor, dependent and undeveloped forever.
“I am not suggesting that we cover up our failings in any way…We are nowhere near where we should be…poverty, young people remain at risk and the public purse is not as properly guarded as it should be,” the President said.
He said the NPP he was leading “wants a credible election conducted in a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere,” adding, “we are certain we have a track record that will make Ghanaians vote to renew our mandate. Just as it was in 2016, we want this victory to be sweet and incontestable.”
NPP Beliefs
As a party that believes in elections and contests, he urged his party “that we should accept the verdict of the people of Ghana,” adding, “that the peace, unity and safety of Ghana will be our primary consideration.”
“I am pleased to be part of this event that seeks to highlight the importance of peace in our country as we go to the polls on December 7, Monday,” he said.
He said, “We have come from a long tradition that believes in disputes being settled by superior arguments and not by violence; it has been a long and tortuous journey that has brought this nation finally to this Fourth Republic and the consensus of a multiparty democracy
“We believe in elections and we in the NPP can safely claim without any fear of contradiction that every improvement that has brought more widespread credibility to our electoral process has been at our instigation.
“The younger generation might not even be aware that the use in the electoral process of transparent ballot boxes and photo IDs were initially resisted.”
That notwithstanding, he indicated that “we believe in an electoral process that is genuine and fair and in which the people can have confidence; we believe in an electoral process in which the losers will feel that they have been in a fair fight and will willingly congratulate the winners and go back to regroup and seek more persuasive ways to convince the electorate.”
For him, “it is in the interest of the political parties that it is not only the absence of violence that there is no tension and that there is a truly peaceful atmosphere throughout the country.”
He called on the security agencies to make sure that the atmosphere in the country was one conducive for the conduct of a fair and transparent electoral process.
He also thanked the conveners, NPC, as well as the Electoral Commission for their dedication to duty.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu