US endorses Ghana’s Supreme Court verdict on election votes

The US government says it is pleased with Ghana’s Supreme Court verdict which upheld the country’s 2012 election results.

Speaking to journalists from Washington, US Assistant Secretary for Africa, Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US government was pleased with the Supreme Court verdict.

“We are very pleased with the results of the Supreme Court decision,” Ms Thomas-Greenfield said in a video conference today October 3, 2013.

This is believed to be the first major statement made by the US government on the election verdict.

After an eight-month long court case, a nine-member panel of the country’s highest court announced August 29, 2013 the verdict saying President John Mahama was validly elected in the 2012 December 7 presidential elections.

Presided by Justice William Atuguba, the panel unanimously dismissed the election petition brought forward by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The petition was to challenge the legitimacy of John Mahama as President of the Republic.

The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) on December 9, 2012 declared John Dramani Mahama President-elect after the 2012 general elections. President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) received 5,574,761 votes representing 50.70% while Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had 5,248 898 of the votes or 47.74%.

According to the US diplomat, Ghana’s election was free and fair which was confirmed by the legislature and Ghanaians.

“Ghana had free and fair election and it was confirmed by your Senate and was accepted by the opposition,” Ms Thomas-Greenfield stated.

“That says a lot about how far Ghana has come as a democracy and how strong Ghana’s democracy is,” she added.

Ms Thomas-Greenfield encouraged Ghanaians to move forward the country’s democracy.

By Ekow Quandzie