Election winner should embrace all - Rawlings

Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, has urged all parties contesting the forthcoming elections to take the necessary steps to give the assurance that should their party emerge victor, members of the losing parties would have no reason to feel insecure.

The former President who was recently installed Fafa Fia of Anlo (Chief of Peace), called on whoever wins the election to stretch its canopy to all Ghanaians and counseled against any attempt to undermine the electoral process in order to ensure a peaceful outcome.

Speaking during a courtesy call by the Volta Regional Executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at his office in Accra on Wednesday, Flt Lt Rawlings appealed “that as much as possible, let’s do everything to maintain the spirit of goodwill.

“Most parties are working towards winning the election and I wish all of you the best. Irrespective of whoever emerges as the winner I hope that the losing parties and their support base will have no reason to feel insecure,” the former President said.

The NPP delegation led by John Peter Amewu, Chairman of the Volta Regional Branch of the party, congratulated former President Rawlings on his recognition as the Fafa Fia of Anlo and commended him for supervising a peaceful transition to constitutional rule in 1992 and subsequently handing over power to the NPP in 2001.

The delegation also sought the former President’s intervention in ensuring a successful election by calling on the Electoral Commission to be transparent and publish on its website details of the electoral register and election results from previous elections.

The NPP delegation also expressed their concern about the potential of non-Ghanaians crossing into Ghana to vote during the elections, suggesting that some who have registered as voters are not Ghanaians but persons who have been influenced to register illegally to vote for a particular party.

“The NPP, as law abiding citizens, do not intend to stop genuine Ghanaians who reside in Togo coming to Ghana to exercise their democratic right to vote. Instead we are trying to build collaboration between the leaders of the border towns and educate them in understanding the criminal implications and trivialities of the actions of those who are not entitled to vote trying to do so,” Mr. Amewu said.

Former President Rawlings in his response told the delegation that he will pass on their concerns to the relevant institutions for the necessary action.

Dr. Kwame Djokoto, NDC constituency Chairman for Keta and Mr. Kobina Andoh Amoakwa, aide to former President Rawlings who were present at the meeting took turns to call for an enabling environment for peaceful elections.

Dr. Djokoto said the presence of the NPP delegation at the office of the former President was indicative of the fact that he truly stood for peaceful coexistence amongst all Ghanaians irrespective of their political background.