Presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party has given his unalloyed commitment for peace in the 2016 election but has charged government and statutory institutions to move beyond rhetoric of peace.
Even though all stakeholders have a role to play to ensure a free and fair election, Nana Akufo-Addo said the government, the police and the Electoral Commission have a bigger responsibility to be fair to all in the discharge of their duties.
He did not understand why the police will look on when supporters of the NPP are brutalized in Asutifi and Odododiodio by supporters of the governing party or by officials in government.
He was speaking at the Accra Peace Accord where world leaders including ECOWAS chair, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former South African president Thabo Mbeki, UN Envoy converged to demand full and total commitment to peace from the seven political leaders contesting next week’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
President John Mahama, representing the governing National Democratic, Dr Edward Mahama, representing the People’s National Convention, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings representing the National Democratic Party, Ivor Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party and running mate to the PPP flagbearer Bridgette Dzogbenuku, were present to give their full commitment for peace in the elections.
The NPP flagbearer, like the other candidates, took advantage of the opportunity to make his firm declaration for peace before, during and after the election.
Nana Akufo-Addo said for four decades he has been at the fore front of the country’s politics working shoulder-to-shoulder with Ghanaians and have no desire to see a drop of blood being shed for him to become president.
He chronicled how in the 2008 elections he lost the presidential election by just 40,000 votes out of 10,million; how in 2012 he accepted the Supreme Court verdict of an election petition and in both instances did not call for violence.
He said in both instances, he showed beyond every shadow of doubt that his personal ambition to be president, the party’s desire to run the affairs of the state were inferior to the peace and stability of the country.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the world can expect same from him ahead of this election but has demanded fairness from all stakeholders.
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