Ghana opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo speaks during meeting in Accra to contest presidential election results, December 11, 2012
Main Opposition Rejects Ghana Election Results
The chairman of Ghana’s main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) says his party does not accept the final outcome of the recent presidential election.
“We will not accept the results as it stands now because we have already established that the results as they stand now are fraudulent,” said Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey. “We are not going to take our matter to the streets, but we will take our matters to the Supreme Court. We are gathering robust evidence to support our case in the Supreme Court.”
The independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared incumbent President John Dramani Mahama winner of last Friday’s presidential vote for his first full four-year term.
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Both local and international poll observers said Friday’s presidential, legislative and local balloting were peaceful, transparent, and credible.
But Chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey says his party’s attorneys are gathering evidence to legally challenge the outcome of the vote.
“We are sure that we will have sufficient evidence to go to court at some stage and prove beyond all doubt that the results are fraudulent.”
He rejected accusations that the NPP officials are sore losers and are unwilling to accept defeat following the election.
“This is not about who is president or which party is in office. It is about strengthening the democratic practice in this country by using the law [and] courts,’” he said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the electoral body has welcomed the opposition’s decision to take its concerns to court, but maintains he stands by the final outcome of the presidential vote.
