Election petition won’t stop street protests, says Mahama
The opposition NDC is expected to file its petition at the Supreme Court today 30 December to challenge the results of the presidential elections held on 7 December 2020.
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has confirmed his party’s decision to contest the outcome of the presidential election in court.
However, he told NDC supporters that should not stop them from protesting on the streets since it is one of the “legitimate means” to register their grievances.
The Umbrella party is expected to file its petition at the Supreme Court today 30 December to challenge the results of the presidential elections held on 7 December 2020.
In a Facebook post, Mahama, who lost to incumbent Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, said: “The National Democratic Congress has decided to proceed to the Supreme Court to contest the results of the rigged elections of December 7. The decision follows a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our party on Tuesday in Accra.
“While in court, the NDC will continue all legitimate actions, including protests, to demand the enforcement of the rule of law and protection of life and property of the good people of Ghana”.
“Flawed election”
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the weekend served notice it will present its petition to the court on Wednesday 30 December to challenge the outcome of Election 2020.
A member of the legal team of the largest opposition party, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, said the party has a case and will resort to the court for redress.
“We’ll go to court. We’ve made that clear. Certainly, by Wednesday, all these matters would be placed before the court,” Dafeamekpor said.
“We’re saying Electoral Commission should comply with the law. If you comply with the law and we emerge victorious that is fine. But you do not comply with the law and announce another candidate as the victor. No,” he said on news analysis programme, Newsfile, on Accra-based Joy FM.
The decision by the opposition NDC is in line with the mandated 21 days given under electoral laws for any aggrieved party in the election to file a legal challenge of the process.
The Declaration
The chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, on 9 December, declared Akufo-Addo the winner of the 2020 presidential elections, after defeating Mahama of the National Democratic Congress.
Akufo-Addo won by 51.59% of the total votes cast as against Mahama’s 6,214,889 representing 47.36%. Akufo-Addo polled a total of 6,70,413 votes out of the total votes of 14, 434, 574.
Crowds of jubilant supporters took to the streets in Accra and other parts of the nation to celebrate the victory of the 76-year-old New Patriotic Party (NPP) leader.
Akufo-Addo defeated John Mahama by 53.8% to 44.4% in the 2012 election.
Ghana’s elections have been historically close, with Mahama narrowly winning against Akufo-Addo in 2012 with 50.7%. In that elections, Akufo-Addo unsuccessfully challenged Mahama’s victory in the courts.
However, the minority NDC has since rejected the 2020 results, describing the election as full of irregularities in some parts of the country.
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