Ki-moon, Kofi Annan urge patience as Ghanaians wait for official election results
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former Secretary-General, Kofi Annan have called on Ghanaians to exercise patient while the votes are being counted. Ghanaians voted December 7 in presidential and parliamentary elections. The final results have not yet been released.
In a statement issued in New York December 8, 2017, Ki-moon called on all political actors and their supporters to exercise patience while the ballots are being counted, urging that any disputes be resolved peacefully through established legal channels.
“In Ghana as elsewhere, the most important aspects of elections are that the genuine will of the people be reflected in the final results, and that those results be respected,” he said.
Mr. Annan congratulating the Electoral Commission and its staff and the people of Ghana for conducting a good election on December 7, described the process as “worthy of our democratic tradition. I also applaud the support and the diligence of the electoral observers – national and international,” he said.
He called on all the candidates, their parties and their supporters to remain calm until the announcement of the final results by the EC.
“There is no reason for incitement,” he added.
“In the spirit of democracy, I call on the losers to concede as quickly as possible to defuse tensions and allay uncertainties. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the five candidates who have already done so in light of the preliminary results and clear trends.
The people of Ghana are waiting and watching, let’s not disappoint them,” he said.
The EC Chair has given the assurance that, just like all elections in the past, when the results were declared within 72 hours, the results of this election will be declared within the period.
“It is better for us to make sure that results are properly signed off and collated before we declare.
In 2012 elections were held on December 7, and results were declared only 72 hours later, so 24 hours is not too long, and so I urge all of you to please be patient,” she said.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
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