SONA 2021: Mahama’s petition good for Ghana’s democracy – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has welcomed the election petition filed at the Supreme Court by the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama.

Delivering his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) in his first term on Tuesday, January 5, Mr Akufo-Addo said this path is the best option for any aggrieved person in an election.

Mr Mahama on Wednesday, December 30 filed the petition at the apex court which seeks, among other things, a rerun of the presidential elections, asking the Court for an order to restrain Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Second Respondent, from holding himself out as President-elect.

He refused to accept the results of the elections because in his view the figures were tampered with by the Chair of the Electoral Commission in favour of President Akufo-Addo.

He further said Mrs Mensa and the other commissioners should have resigned by now following what he described as a blemished election that they conducted on December 7.

Mr Akufo-Addo told Parliament that “The constitution demands that we go to the people after every four years to demand their mandate."

“We must listen to the voice of the people. I said to you in the election campaign that it is my firm and passionate view that I shall be president in a fairly conducted elections which I believe, the elections of 7th December was."

“I recognize that my main opponent in the election Former President John Dramani Mahama has gone to the Supreme Court to seek intervention and be granted reliefs that he believes were compromised in the conduct of the elections."

“It is good for the nation that in the end, he chose the legal path instead of the pocket of violence.”

He further added that “We all have to make a deliberate decision to trust in the rule of law and uphold the integrity of the institutions of our state so that no person or groups of person take the laws into their own hands with impunity,” he said.