President Mahama avoids touching on election dispute in speech at AU Summit
The results of Ghana’s December 2012 Presidential election has been disputed by the main opposition party, which has petitioned the country’s Supreme Court, claiming the figures were doctored in favour of the winner – President John Dramani Mahama. The President has, meanwhile, indicated his readiness to contest the matter before the Court.
But as President Mahama addressed the 20th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Sunday January 27, 2013 he spoke about his election and thanked the AU member states for gracing the occasion of his inauguration, but gave no hint about the fact that the opposition has protested the results and the matter is before court.
“Last December my country Ghana held a successful Presidential and Parliamentary election. I had the honour and privilege of being entrusted with the hopes and aspirations of my fellow countrymen and women by being elected to the high office of President of the Republic,” he said.
He added, “in accepting that challenge, I fully recognize how intimately bound the fortunes of my country are with those of our entire continent. Our struggle to overcome poverty, disease and illiteracy, is a common one whose success is dependent on the solidarity that exists between us.”
The President said this solidarity from other African countries “always made us deeply appreciative of how much we owe our country’s continuing stability and steady advancement in democracy to the friendship and cooperation we have enjoyed with a great many countries since independence in March, 1957,” he said.
He thanked all the Heads of State and Government who came to grace his swearing-in ceremony on January 7, 2013.
“We are similarly grateful to the numerous observers from various countries, inter-governmental, non-governmental organisations and civil society groups who came to witness the elections. My government regards them as indispensable partners in striving for the highest standards of transparency and integrity in our electoral process,” he said.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) declared John Dramani Mahama President-elect after the 2012 general elections December 9, 2012.
John Dramani Mahama who stood on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) received 5, 574,761 votes, or 50.70%.
Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had 5, 248 898 of the votes or 47.74%, followed by Dr. Papa Kwedi Nduom of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) with 38, 223 votes – that is 0.59%.
Henry Herbert Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) had 38,223 votes or 0.35% of valid votes cast, Hassan Ayariga of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) had 24,617 or 0.22% of valid votes cast. Dr. Abu Sakara of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) had 20, 323 votes making 0.18% of valid votes cast.
The Independent candidate, Jacob Osei Yeboah has 15,201 or 0.14% of valid votes cast and Kwasi Oddai Odike of the United Front Party (UFP) has 8,877 of valid votes cast which is 0.08%.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) on December 28, 2012 filed a petition at the Supreme Court of Ghana challenging the results of the elections. The matter is yet to be determined by the Court.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia