ACCRA – Ghana’s opposition candidate John Mahama yesterday rejected as “fraudulent” the results of presidential and parliamentary elections earlier this week in which president Nana Akufo-Addo won a second term.
“We will not accept what we know is a fraudulent outcome of these elections and we will take all legitimate steps to reverse this tragedy of justice,” Mahama told a news conference.
A day earlier, the electoral commission said that Akufo-Addo had won 51.59% of the vote on Monday, ahead of Mahama with 47.36%.
But Mahama rejected the numbers.
“Numerous steps have been taken to manipulate the results of the election in favour of the incumbent,” the 62-year-old alleged.
According to provisional results published by the electoral commission, Akufo-Addo’s party won a majority in the 275-seat Parliament.
The full results have not been announced, but Mahama claimed it was the opposition that won a majority.
The tightly contested race had led to tensions between the two main parties, with the opposition candidate accusing the president of abuse of power.
“Armed forces featured heavily as an intimidating measure to reverse election results,” Mahama said.
Ghana stands out as a stable democracy in volatile West Africa, although it is not uncommon for presidential candidates to contest results.
Mahama and Akufo-Addo are long-standing rivals and this was their third election battle.
In 2012, it was Akufo-Addo who contested Mahama’s win.
Akufo-Addo, in a victory speech to supporters on Wednesday, said it was time “irrespective of political affiliations, to unite, join hands and stand shoulder to shoulder”.
Observers, both Ghanaian and foreign, viewed polling as generally free and fair, but police said five people were killed and 19 injured in election-related violence. – AFP, December 11, 2020
