The Pressure group, Respect My Vote Movement has called on the citizens of Ghana to blame the National Peace Council for the most recent uproar and protest regarding the outcome of the just-ended 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
According to the group, the Peace Council was not left in the dark when the Electoral Commission was petitioned by various stakeholder against the hasty declaration of results yet apart from facilitating the signing of a cosmetic ‘peace pact’ by political parties, they did very little to address the early warning signs that were written on the wall.
A statement issued on Monday, December 21, 2020 by the Respect my Vote movement, said, “the National Peace Council was in this country when the EC announced that it will declare results within 24 hours after close of polls. Even though the EC was auctioned on the need to avoid hasty declaration of results due to the need to preserve the peace and security of Ghana, they ignored all that caution and proceeded to declare wrong results”.
“The National Peace Council remains silent in the face of all these developments. Suddenly they have found their voices asking the Opposition NDC to go to court”, they added.
“They have also been tight lipped on failure of government to prosecute culprits in the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye election violence,” they noted.
The credibility of the results released by the Electoral management body has also been questioned by some observers following the revision of the total valid votes declared by the EC on December 9, 2020, where EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa, announced wrong figures of which the subsequent statement from the EC also contained some numerical errors.
“The worst trigger of violent conflict occurred on 9th December when the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa announced presidential election results under mysterious circumstances. When concerns were raised about the accuracy of the results, the Commission issued a press statement to correct the anomalies. However, the figures still did not add up”, the group stated.
The Hohoe Constituency, which used to be Hohoe North, is the creature of a statute and has electoral areas in Gbi, Alavanyo, Fodome, Wli, Gbledi Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe traditional areas, that resulted in creation of Oti Region and subsequent creation of Guan District (Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe ). The Electoral Commission of Ghana gave a directive on election eve that the Guan citizenry (SALL) should not vote in the parliamentary election in the Hohoe Constituency on December 7, which according the pressure group has caused disruptions and chaos but the council have overlooked.
“The disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of Ghanaians in the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe in the Parliamentary elections are major triggers of violent conflict that the National Peace Council and the moral voices in society have overlooked”.
“Over 7 innocent Ghanaians have lost their lives in the 2020 elections alone and this is unprecedented. But the National Peace Council and the moral voices are quiet,” the group indicated.
Prior to this, the Respect my Vote Movement, beseeches, “the Peace Council should first advise Jean Mensa to withdraw the results, audit same and republish correct results for the sake of peace, the statement read.
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BLAME NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL FOR THE CURRENT CRISIS WITH THE 2020 ELECTIONS – RMV
Accra, 21st December, 2020 – Respect My Vote Movement has blamed the current impasse regarding the outcome of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary election on the National Peace Council. According to the pressure group, apart from facilitating the signing of a cosmetic ‘peace pact’ by political parties, they did very little to address the early warning signs that were written on the wall.
The National Peace Council was in this country when Akufo-Addo forcibly removed Mrs Charllote Osei and her deputies from the Electoral Commission and replaced them with Jean Mensa who is a relative of his wife and Bossman Asare who is a know NPP foot soldier at University of Ghana in the bid to rig the 2020 Elections.
The National Peace Council remained silent in the midst of controversies and violence that characterized the recent voters’ registration exercise.
They have also been tight lipped on failure of government to prosecute culprits in the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye election violence.
The disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of Ghanaians in the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe in the Parliamentary elections are major triggers of violent conflict that the National Peace Council and the moral voices in society have overlooked.
Over 7 innocent Ghanaians have lost their lives in the 2020 elections alone and this is unprecedented. But the National Peace Council and the moral voices are quiet.
The worst trigger of violent conflict occurred on 9th December when the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa announced presidential election results under mysterious circumstances. When concerns were raised about the accuracy of the results, the Commission issued a press statement to correct the anomalies. However, the figures still did not add up.
For the first time in the history of the Fourth Republic, The Electoral Commission has published 3 different sets of results. This development is an international embarrassment disgrace for Ghana. That a well reputed independent state institution like the Electoral Commission of Ghana can simply not add up figures and declare adequate results.
The National Peace Council was in this country when the EC announced that it will declare results within 24 hours after close of polls. Even though the Ec was auctioned on the need to avoid hasty declaration of results due to the need to preserve the peace and security of Ghana, they ignored all that caution and proceeded to declare wrong results. But for the peace loving nature of citizens and opposition parties, Ghana would have been involved in a major conflict by now.
The National Peace Council remains silent in the face of all these developments. Suddenly they have found their voices asking the Opposition NDC to go to court.
The Peace Council should first advise Jean Mensa to withdraw the results, audit same and republish correct results for the sake of peace.
RESPECT MY VOTE MOVEMENT