The Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) has urged the two biggest political parties, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), as well as all Ghanaians, to put the nation first and resist violent tendencies after the Supreme Court pronounces judgment on the election petition case tomorrow, Thursday, 4 March 2021.
IDEG, in a statement on Wednesday, 3 March, said: “We urge fellow citizens, political parties and our friends from the media, to remain calm and uphold the peace as we await the decision of the Supreme Court. Let us not forget that in this verdict, democracy should be the ultimate winner”, the statement said.
“Further, we call on the NPP and NDC to live up to expectation and encourage their supporters to avoid engaging in violent and aggressive conduct that would endanger national peace, security and threaten our democratic gains.”
“Regardless of the outcome, we must all remember to put Ghana first and take the necessary actions to guarantee that our nation does not plunge into political turmoil”, the statement read.
It also urged the security agencies to ensure law and order as well as the safety of citizens through professional enforcement of our country’s laws.
IDEG’s call dovetails into former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s call on the petitioner and respondents in the case, to accept the Supreme Court’s final verdict for the sake of the country’s peace.
Speaking on Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM on Wednesday, 3 March 2021, Mr Kufuor advised both the NPP and NDC to accept the judgment of the Supreme Court and urged them to call their supporters to order no matter the outcome.
He told show host Kwame Appiah Kubi that: “Let’s all accept the verdict of the Supreme Court. Taking an entrenched position to reject the verdict will not help anybody”.
“In 2013, the NPP did same by going to court but after the verdict, although Akufo-Addo disagreed, he accepted it and worked with it for the sake of the country’s peace. Just as Akufo-Addo did, I advise my brothers in the NDC to accept the verdict if it doesn’t go the way they want, we’ll plead with them to accept it.”
“Elections are organised every four years; if it doesn’t go your way this time, you may get it in the next four years, so, let us give peace a chance,” the former Ghanaian leader advised.
Mr Mahama, the petitioner in the case, has argued that neither he nor President Akufo-Addo crossed the threshold of more than 50 per cent to be declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
He, therefore, does not understand why the Electoral Commission declared Nana Akufo-Addo the winner and the President-elect and has, subsequently, been sworn in.
Mr Mahama is praying the Supreme Court to order a rerun of the election between himself and Nana Akufo-Addo.
The first respondent, which is the Electoral Commission, insists the second respondent, Nana Akufo-Addo, crossed the constitutional threshold and was rightfully declared the winner.
Source: Class
