Members and officials of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are of the view that it will be unnecessary for ex-President John Dramani Mahama to officially concede defeat to President Akufo Addo, particularly when the party insists the elections were rigged in favour of the incumbent.
Last week, the Supreme Court threw out an election petition filed by Mr. Mahama, but Mr. Mahama was quick to slam the Supreme Court for doing a shoddy job at the hearing, saying he does not agree with their ruling that the petition lacked merit.
An NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak has fired the General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, for asking former President John Dramani Mahama to officially concede defeat.
According to Clement Apaak, ex-President Mahama cannot be compelled by anyone to concede defeat because there is no law in Ghana that recommends that.
According to John Boadu, as a sign of statesmanship and fidelity to the rule of law, Mr. Mahama should call President Akufo-Addo to congratulate him for winning the 2020 elections.
“Following the lucid judgment of the Supreme Court, many had expected the petitioner, John Mahama, to emulate the good examples of the petitioner in the 2012 Elections Petition, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, even though, disagreed with the judgement of the Supreme Court at the time, ACCEPTED the decision and CONGRATULATED the then President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, in the interest of the nation,” he said in a press release.
But Apaak fired back, saying: “There is no law that states that JM must accept the court’s rulings and congratulate Akufo Addo. JM will do what he believes in and knows is best. So NPP shouldn’t think it can put pressure on him!”
He re-echoed the views of many in the NDC, saying the party believes it won the elections, hence the refusal to concede defeat, even after the Supreme Court ruling.