Peace Council urges EC to meet all presidential aspirants ahead of December polls
The National Peace Council (NPC) has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to meet with all presidential candidates before the December 7 polls.
According to the Chairman of the NPC, Rev Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, the meeting will provide a platform for all aspirants to express their concerns.
“It is necessary for the EC to have a closed-door meeting with the presidential aspirants.”
Dr Adu-Gyamfi emphasised the importance of the presidential candidates preaching peace before, during and after the election.
He added that elections are won at the polling station. Hence, there is no need for violence.
“For us as peace council, we have met with the council of elders of the parties. We sit in closed-door meetings, we talk and we share ideas and when you meet them at some point you will realise that everybody has the country at heart and that of the party. But then when they are out, because they cannot influence the grassroots, we have these challenges that we are having.
“When are we going to come to a point where the presidential candidates themselves can talk to their grassroots and say look, let’s build our country, it’s just a competition, let’s go and vote and whoever wins, wins.”
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On December 7, Ghanaians will go to the polls to elect a new president and Members of Parliament. This will be the country’s ninth consecutive election since returning to constitutional rule in 1992.
Ahead of the elections, heightened mistrust in state institutions and unresolved tensions threaten to disrupt the polls.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) plans to rig the elections, and the two parties disagree on the neutrality of the EC and the courts and security services. This could lead to violence and instability.
Already, pre-election rhetoric is heating up, with both parties making divisive statements on campaign platforms.