Election 2020: We stand for peace, say Akufo-Addo and Mahama

President Nana Akufo-Addo and his main contender, John Mahama, have committed to peace before, during and after the 7 December election

Kent Mensah December 4, 2020

5,014

“I have said that we believe in elections, and I am happy to give my word that we shall accept the verdict of the people of Ghana. Above all, I pledge that the peace, unity and safety of Ghana will be our primary consideration."

The two main characters in Ghana’s 2020 election have pledged to safeguard the peace of the nation before, during and after the polls.

Signing the Presidential Election Peace Pact in the nation’s capital, Accra, on Friday (4 December 2020), President Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the leader of the opposition, John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said peace remains their topmost priority as Ghana heads to the polls on Monday 7 December.

The signing event was on the theme of “Eradicating Electoral Violence in Ghana’s Democracy: the Role of Political Leadership”.

Renew my mandate

President Akufo-Addo said he is optimistic that he will win the election. At the same time, he assured guests at the signing ceremony that his supporters will behave peacefully.

“We in the NPP want a credible election, conducted in a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. We are certain we have a track record that will make Ghanaians vote to renew our mandate.

“Just as it was in 2016, we want this victory to be sweet and incontestable,” Akufo-Addo said at the National Peace Council-sponsored event.

He added: “I have said that we believe in elections, and I am happy to give my word that we shall accept the verdict of the people of Ghana. Above all, I pledge that the peace, unity and safety of Ghana will be our primary consideration.”

For his part, Mahama said: “As we end our campaigns and prepare to vote on Monday, I pledge to ensure peace and preserve the stability of our dear nation, Ghana. Elections are about counting heads and not cutting heads.

“So, we’ll work together towards peaceful elections. We expect to see all security personnel to behave professionally. Let us strive to prevent the violence of the past … Our country stands at the critical juncture of its history.”

Institutions must work

He added: “Never have the lives of so many depended on the power of the thumb. Now more than ever we need the institutions of our democracy to work impartially to deliver an outcome that is fair, transparent and in the national interest.

“The Electoral Commission, the judiciary and the security services and the media hold the future of our nation in their hands … I stand for peace. Let there be peace in Ghana before, during and after the elections.”