Three international election observer missions have urged the two main political parties in the country, to use legal channels to seek redress on outcomes of this year’s elections.
They have thus asked the leadership of both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to call their members to order so as not to mar the generally peaceful atmosphere under which the elections had been conducted.
The missions were the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), the Commonwealth Observer Group and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Observation Mission (EOM).
Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday to present their preliminary statements on last Monday’s presidential and parliamentary elections, Head of the Commonwealth Observer Group, Justice Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, noted that President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the former President John Dramani Mahama had committed to peace and upholding rule of law prior to the conduct of the elections and must be guided by it.
“I note that this commitment entails the resolution of grievances through the established legal channels. It is our hope and expectation that while the results reaches its crucial finalisation phase, Ghana’s tradition of peaceful electoral processes will continue to be preserved and safeguarded,” he said.
Justice Ugirashebuja encouraged the Electoral Commission (EC), political parties, civil society and other electoral stakeholders to engage in post-election inclusive dialogue to maintain the peace enjoyed and sustain the country’s democratic gains.
Head of the AUEOM, Petrus Kgalema Motlanthe, highly commended Ghanaians and all other electoral stakeholders for holding orderly and peaceful elections, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
He, however, urged the judiciary to expeditiously adjudicate all electoral petitions that may come before it, in keeping with due process of law.
Mr Motlanthe recommended that government took immediate steps to enforce provisions of the Vigilantism Act of 2019 (Act 999) as it engaged stakeholders in electoral reforms to increase women political representation in the country.
He urged the EC to in subsequent elections, endeavor to provide timely communication to all electoral stakeholders on any contentious issue, to enhance citizen’s trust and confidence in electoral processes.
“Political parties must uphold the tenets of peace and refrain from political violence and formulate internal policies that will increase political participation and representation of women,” Mr Motlanthe advised.
Head of the EOM, former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf congratulated Ghanaians for the “exemplary comportment up to this point.”
She said “You should continue to exhibit same in the post-election phase in order to keep the peace and stability which have become a characteristic feature of the Ghanaian polity.”
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
