- “And that gives you the impression that the NDC itself is in a dilemma whether to accept the results or not to accept the results, because of the closeness of the margin of the results, that is why tension has been up so he must gather evidence and go to court."
Professor Joseph Atsu Aryee, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, has said that the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, is still in a dilemma over whether to accept the outcome of the 7 December elections.
Speaking with Beatrice Adu for The Big Bulletin on Asaase Radio, Professor Aryee said Mahama must head to court and stop questioning the integrity of the judiciary.
“The flagbearer of the NDC is in a peculiar situation. One, he was a presidential candidate, and he is also a former president and commander of the army.
“It is up to him. He is now saying that he wants a forensic audit and he also wants an independent audit, and if these things are done, he will concede defeat,” Aryee said.
Prof Aryee added: “And that gives you the impression that the NDC itself is in a dilemma whether to accept the results or not to accept the results, because of the closeness of the margin of the results. That is why tension has been up. So he must gather evidence and go to court.”
“Independent audit”
Aryee argued that the Electoral Commission must meet with stakeholders to find solutions to issues emerging from the elections.
However, he supported John Mahama’s view that there are lessons to be learned from the outcome of the polls which will help deepen Ghana’s democracy.
“If you listen to what John Mahama said in the Voice of America interview [broadcast on 14 December], he said the EC should set up an independent audit and they themselves will conduct a forensic audit before he will accept the results.
“And he made a very important [point] that he wants lessons to be learned which should guide the country in subsequent elections. I think it is a very important point,” Professor Aryee said.
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.
Fred Dzakpata
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