Prioritise Ghana’s peace as you challenge election results- Archbishop Agyinasare to Mahama
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has been challenged to choose peace over chaos as he contests the results of the December 7 elections.
The General Overseer of the Perez Chapel International, Bishop Charles Agyinasare, who made the call, said the 2012 petition should be a guide for the former President who has rejected results of the 2020 polls.
Speaking during a Sunday Sermon at the Perez Dome at Dzorwulu in Accra, he said: “To him, John Mahama who is contesting the presidential results we pray you do it peacefully.”
In 2012, the current President Nana Akufo-Addo went to court over result of that year’s election, citing electoral irregularities to build his case.
But the Supreme Court disagreed and validated result of the elections in which Mr Mahama and Mr Akufo-Addo were in a two-horse race.
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Former President Mahama refused to accept the 2020 election results, describing it as fictional and flawed.
Mr Mahama has therefore refused to concede defeat citing electoral fraud in the 2020 elections.
The former President, who led Ghana from January 2013- January 2017, accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of manipulating figures in favour of the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP)
According to amended official results, the NPP’s Nana Akufo-Addo had 6,730,787 translating into 51.30% while his closest contender, Mr Mahama garnered 6, 213, 182 or 47.36%.
In his first speech, more than 24 hours after the poll results were released, Mr Mahama said the EC had been biased.
“We will not accept what we know to be a fraudulent outcome of these elections,” he said at a press conference. “We will take all legitimate steps to reverse this travesty of justice”.
“It is now obvious to many objective minds that the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission has been used to manipulate results from the various constituencies and in that process seek to subvert the sovereign will of the Ghana People”
Mr Mahama cited interference by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to change results in certain constituencies.
Investigate Techiman South incident
“Armed forces featured heavily as an intimidating measure to reverse election results, and they continue to be used in the same intimidating role to insist on recounts in areas in which the incumbent has lost whilst arm-twisting election officers during these supposed recounts,” he alleged.
There have been at least five deaths following reported cases of violence at least 61 places. Five people are reported dead with Techiman South recording the highest casualty—three.
Describing the deaths as unwarranted, Archbishop Agyinasare called for swift investigations into the shooting incident at Techiman that led to the death of three-party supporters.
“Nobody needs to die because of an election, we, therefore, condemn the use of firearms on unarmed civilians.
We ask that proper investigations be conducted in the deaths of people who wanted to defend their votes because democracy is not a war.
“We must continue to pray for peace to prevail, may God help our homeland Ghana,” he added.
Prior to the elections, the police declared more than 6,000 areas as flashpoints but it appeared only one per cent recorded incidents that also led to the death of five people.