Decision Day “Elections are about those who cast votes, not those who count, not those who supervise, not those who transmit and not those who declare. It is the casting of the ballot that is sacred, God-given right of a citizen casting his or her ballot. The rest of the activities are at best, administrative duties”—Nana Akuffo-Addo (Dec. 28, 2012) For over two decades, Ghanaians have been used to winning or losing elections at the polls, but petitioners in the on-going Presidential Election trial hope to change that convention today, as they await the Supreme Court’s decision on the petition they put in to challenge the legitimacy of President John Dramani Mahama, who emerged the winner eight months ago, as declared by the constitutionally-mandated agency, the Electoral Commission, gazetted and officially sworn in by the Chief Justice of the land. Nine Justices of the Supreme Court, namely, William A. Atuguba – (chairman), Julius Ansah, Sophia Ophilia Adjeibea Adinyira, Rose Constance Owusu, Jones Mawulom Dotse, Annin Yeboah, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Sule N. Gbadegbe and Vida Akoto-Bamfo, would today, settle the anxiety of the two main political parties in the country - National Democratic Congress, (NDC) and New Patriotic Party, (NPP). And while the two parties have openly declared their preparedness to accept the verdict come what may, the nation’s security agencies have not been resting: they have been on their feet, working hard to ensure peace before, during and after the final verdict. Civil society organizations and religious bodies have also been using their platforms to drum home messages of peace whiles the National Peace Council (NPC), National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the mass media and other stakeholders have made frantic efforts to play their part throughout the petition trial. Despite the energy been invested into this, supporters of both NDC and NPP have been at each other’s throat on the nation’s social media and other mediums, a situation which has triggered panic and fear among sections of the public including some diplomatic missions. However, the National Security Capo, Lt Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, has assured the nation that the nation’s security is ready to manage any situation that might arise. He warns persons who intend to foment trouble to back down and urges all Ghanaians to do their best to ensure that the security of the state is maintained after the Supreme Court Decision
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 08:15:35 +0000