Discontent As Ghana Prepares To Swear-In President
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2013/01/discontent-as-ghana-prepares-to-swear.html
Even as Ghana prepares to swear in President-elect John Dramani Mahama tomorrow, there is some unfinished business.
The decision of the main opposition group, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to challenge the results of December 7, 2012 election at the Supreme Court has the country holding its breath.
The group filed a petition at the Supreme Court to challenge decision to declare Mr Mahama of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), winner of the December 7 election, claiming there were irregularities.
This was after the country's Electoral Commission declared President Mahama winner of the election with 5, 574,762 representing 50.70 per cent of the total votes cast against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the NPP who garnered 5,248,898 votes, representing 47.74 per cent.
If the Supreme Court rules in favour of the NPP, President Mahama will have to step down or perhaps face a re-run of the election. On the other-hand, nothing will change if the ruling goes in his favour.
The NPP says it would not attend the swearing-in ceremony to be witnessed by among others Chairman of the African Union (AU), President Yayi Boni of Benin.
NPP chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has defended the party’s position because, “democracy is not just an election, it’s about many institutions that provide support for democracy to work."
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey is optimistic that the case will go a long way to deepen the country’s democracy.
The party’s main grounds for contesting the election result is what it terms “massive and pervasive irregularities." Mr Nana Akufo-Addo’s running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia said, “Between November 12 and December 1, the electoral roll grew from 14,031,680 to 14,158,890 a difference of 127,210.”
The group filed a petition at the Supreme Court to challenge decision to declare Mr Mahama of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), winner of the December 7 election, claiming there were irregularities.
This was after the country's Electoral Commission declared President Mahama winner of the election with 5, 574,762 representing 50.70 per cent of the total votes cast against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the NPP who garnered 5,248,898 votes, representing 47.74 per cent.
If the Supreme Court rules in favour of the NPP, President Mahama will have to step down or perhaps face a re-run of the election. On the other-hand, nothing will change if the ruling goes in his favour.
The NPP says it would not attend the swearing-in ceremony to be witnessed by among others Chairman of the African Union (AU), President Yayi Boni of Benin.
NPP chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has defended the party’s position because, “democracy is not just an election, it’s about many institutions that provide support for democracy to work."
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey is optimistic that the case will go a long way to deepen the country’s democracy.
The party’s main grounds for contesting the election result is what it terms “massive and pervasive irregularities." Mr Nana Akufo-Addo’s running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia said, “Between November 12 and December 1, the electoral roll grew from 14,031,680 to 14,158,890 a difference of 127,210.”
