Akufo-Addo, Mahama to sign peace pact ahead of 7 December elections

The flagbearers of the two main political parties in Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and his main contender John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), will on Friday (4 December) sign a peace pact ahead of the elections.

The signing is expected to be done at the 3rd High Level Meeting of the Presidential Elections Peace Pact at the Movenpick hotel in Accra.

This year’s event is under the theme: “Eradicating Electoral Violence in Ghana’s Democracy: the Role of Political Leadership.”

It will be witnessed by some dignitaries including the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev Dr Ernest Adu Gyamfi, President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II and the National Chief Imam, Sheik Osman Nuhu Sharubutu.

The signing follows extensive consultation with the two main political parties ahead of the 7 December presidential and parliamentary elections. It will not be the first time political parties are signing a peace pact prior to an election.

Background

The first time political parties were made to sign peace pacts ahead of a general election was in the 2012 presidential and Parliamentary elections which was keenly contested by Akufo-Addo and Mahama. That was subsequently replicated in 2016 between the same actors.

Parliamentary Pact

Meanwhile, the NDC parliamentary candidate for the Asawase Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Muntaka Mubarak, has signed an agreement with his main contender from the NPP, Alidu Seidu, to commit to peace ahead of the polls.

The constituency has been classified as one of the 635 hotspots in the region by the Ghana Police Service.

Fred Dzakpata

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