Presidential candidates contesting the 2016 general elections have agreed to commit themselves to a peace accord that would bind them to ensure a violence-free election.
The seven contesting candidates are expected to sign the accord on December 1, 2016.
An earlier arranged high level meeting by the National Peace Council to get the candidates to sign the peace accord on November 23 was postponed. The objective of the ceremony was to get a firm commitment of the candidates to work for a peaceful and open electoral process.
But a joint statement issued by ECOWAS, the Commonwealth and the United Nations on Saturday, November 26 announced:
“They are however pleased to learn that the Presidential candidates had agreed to attend a session with the Electoral Commission on implementation of the reforms and the transparency of the electoral processes on December 1, 2016.”
According to the statement, “The signing of the peace accord on that occasion will be an important public reaffirmation of the candidates’ commitment to peaceful elections on December 7.”
Candidates contesting the presidential election are: Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party; Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings representing the National Democratic Party; John Dramani Mahama of the governing National Democratic Congress and Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party.
The rest are: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention, and Jacob Osei Yeboah an Independent candidate.
“The ECOWAS, the Commonwealth and the United Nations call on all the presidential candidates to commit to participate in the December 1, 2016 event, and to take the responsibility to contribute towards non-violent, transparent and credible elections,” the statement said.
Read also: High Level Meeting with political parties to be postponed
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