Monday, August 26, 2013

African Elections Project Calls for Peace After Elections Petition Verdict

The African Elections Project (AEP) is calling on Ghanaians to respect the decision of the Supreme Court of Ghana on the 2012 elections petition filed by the New Patriotic Party, as they deepen Ghana’s democratic dispensation and serve as a beacon for peaceful electoral process where the rule of law is adopted instead of violence.

After nearly 8 months of the election petition hearing by the Supreme Court of Ghana, the highest court of the land will finally give judgment on the election petition. It is therefore paramount that the peace this country has enjoyed for many years is safeguarded and maintained by all relevant stakeholders at this critical period where bottled tensions can easily flare up with the release of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

AEP through its work across the continent has been a witness to the ravages of elections-induced and elections-related wars in neigbouring African countries such as Rwanda, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, just to mention a few. It would therefore be highly irresponsible on our part to trigger the buttons that would fuel tensions after the release of the verdict and cause unnecessary mayhem and violence.


Similarly, we humbly appeal to the two major political parties and their supporters in general to exercise restraint, display magnanimity in words and actions either in winning or losing, and ultimately protect the peace in the country which is the bedrock and bulwark of our freedom and liberty.

The AEP, headquartered in Ghana is run by the International Institute of ICT journalism. The project leverages on free, fair and unbiased media and the crucial role they play in elections such as providing impartial information that do not inflame the passions of the electorate. The rationale behind the project is to take specific steps needed to avert possible crisis in elections in Africa. African Elections Project (www.africanelections.org)  has covered elections in 13 African countries to date.

No comments: