Ghana - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Ismail Abdulaziz
Dec, Thu, 2024

Election: Jonathan leads W/Africa elders forum to Ghana

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By Emmanuel Oloniruha

A delegation of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) observation mission led by former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday arrived in Accra, ahead of the Dec. 7 general elections in the country.

The WAEF’s communications Officer, Wealth Ominabo, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ominabo disclosed that Jonathan, on arrival in Ghana, urged Ghanaians to be patriotic and work for peaceful, free and transparent elections.

Other members of the delegation include former Burkinabe Prime Minister and President of the ECOWAS, Mr Kadre Ouedraogo; Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Ms Ann Iyonu, and Special Adviser to Jonathan, Ikechukwu Eze.

Jonathan commended the people of Ghana for their enduring commitment to democratic values, adding that Ghana’s history of peaceful political transitions served as a beacon for democratic governance across Africa.

“The upcoming elections present another opportunity for Ghanaians to reinforce their dedication to democracy, stability, and development,” he stated.

The mission leaders also charged the electoral commission of Ghana and the security agencies to keep to their mandate of independence and neutrality to ensure a credible polling process.

“WAEF urges the Electoral Commission of Ghana to uphold its mandate of conducting free and fair elections, and ensuring the transparency and credibility of the 2024 elections as a way of building trust among the electorate and stakeholders.

“We encourage the security agencies to sustain their professional conduct, maintain their neutrality and a peaceful electoral environment by ensuring impartial deployment to safeguard voting materials, polling centres, and citizens across the country.

“As we approach the end of campaign activities, we urge all political parties and their candidates to reaffirm their commitment to peaceful campaigns devoid of hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric, and personal attacks.”

The former President also called on political parties, candidates and all stakeholders to respect the integrity of the electoral process and to pledged to resolve disputes through lawful and constitutional channels.

Jonathan further urged the youth and party supporters to remain law-abiding during and after the elections by avoiding acts of intimidation or violence.

Describing Ghana as a model of democracy, Jonathan also urged Ghanaians to seek to safeguard Ghana’s democratic legacy by rejecting violence, intimidation, or actions that could undermine the integrity of the electoral process.

“By working together, Ghanaians can once again assert the country’s position as a model of democracy built on a tradition of peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu

Ismail Abdulaziz
Nov, Fri, 2024

Foreign

Ghana poll: Candidates must adhere to rule of law-Chambas

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By Mufutau Ojo

Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Chairman of the African Union High Level Panel on Sudan, has called on candidates in Ghana’s forthcoming presidential election to obey the rule of law throughout the electoral process.

Chambas made the plea in Accra on Thursday while delivering the keynote address at the signing of a peace pact by the candidates.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential election in Ghana will hold on Dec. 7.

A copy of the speech delivered by Chambas at the forum was made available to NAN in Abuja on Friday.

Chambas said that the signing of the peace pact was a commitment to uphold the principles of fair play.

According to Chambas, the pact is a wake up call to party faithful and followers of candidates that there is no place for violence in democratic elections.

“When the Heads of State of Africa adopted the Silencing the Guns Initiative, they sought through it to build an Africa at peace with itself and with the rest of the world.

“Across the continent, one of the triggers of conflict has been poorly conducted elections,” he said.

Chambas said African leaders were desirous of bequeathing to present and future generations a peaceful continent which would would focus on underdevelopment, poverty and inequalities.

He said Ghana had stood out as a shining example of best practices of election management systems, technology, innovation, processes and procedures.

Chambas, however, warned all stakeholders against complacency, saying the burden had now shifted to the Electoral Commission, Ghana Police Service and supporting security agencies, political activists, media and judiciary.

” There can be no complacency. Ghana’s past successes are no guarantee or assurance of current or future performance,” he said.(NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz