Demonstrate peacefully against election verdict, Mahama tells supporters
Former president John Mahama urges supporters of the NDC to "manifest their displeasure in a manner that is peaceful"
- "It is important to hold the EC accountable to ensure that it purifies itself and rises again to be the leading electoral body on our continent, Africa. I still urge all who feel outraged by the EC's conduct to manifest their displeasure in a manner that is peaceful."
Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has advised his supporters to demonstrate peacefully against the outcome of the 7 December elections.
Supporters of the largest opposition party have been on rampage ever since Mahama rejected the results of Election 2020. They have been burning car tyres and clashed with the police in separate instances at the various offices of the Electoral Commission across the nation.
Twenty-six NDC supporters are currently on bail following disturbances at the Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Accra last week.
In a Facebook post, the former president also commended the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council for recognising protests as “instrument of democratic expression”.
“I commend the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) for the recognition of protests as an instrument of democratic expression, elections can be emotive and the EC’s incompetent handling of the Dec 7 poll leaves a sour taste in the mouths of all patriotic citizens.”
According to him, the series of protests by the NDC is aimed at holding the election management body accountable.
“It is important to hold the EC accountable to ensure that it purifies itself and rises again to be the leading electoral body on our continent, Africa. I still urge all who feel outraged by the EC’s conduct to manifest their displeasure in a manner that is peaceful,” Mahama stated.
Winner of Election 2020
On Wednesday 9 December, the chair of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, declared President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the winner of the 2020 presidential election after he defeated the NDC’s Mahama.
Akufo-Addo won 51.59% of the votes cast, against Mahama’s 6,214,889 (a vote share of 47.36%). Akufo-Addo polled 6,730,413 votes out of the total 13,119,460.
However, the NDC has rejected the 2020 results and members describe the election in some parts of the country as riddled with irregularities.
Last week Mahama announced that the party will explore all legal avenues available to overturn what he described as the flawed elections.
Stop violence campaign
Meanwhile, Ghanaians on social media have launched a campaign dubbed #MahamaStopTheViolence to put pressure on Mahama to urge his supporters to desist from violent protests.
At least 26 persons linked to the NDC have been granted bail after they were arrested last week for protesting and causing mayhem at the headquarters of the Electoral Commission, the police said.
Clad in red and black, the supporters besieged the EC headquarters to protest against alleged rigging of the 2020 election in favour of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Journalists covering the protests have also been attacked by the supporters. Ghanaians have now resorted to social media to call out the leader of the largest opposition party to call his supporters to order.
Fred Dzakpata
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