The former president and presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has affirmed his party’s rejection of the 2020 presidential results and has insisted that his party won both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
“It was clear as per the results of the votes that were legally cast, that the National Democratic Congress won the presidential and parliamentary elections,” Mahama said.
Speaking at the NDC’s press conference on 10 December 2020, held after the declaration of the election results by the Electoral Commission, Mahama explained why he rejects the 2020 presidential results.
He emphasised his firm belief in the democratic willpower of electorates in choosing a leader and reminded his audience of his respect for this choice of electorates when he lost elections as an incumbent candidate in 2016 and conceded peacefully.
For this reason, having noted to have amassed the most votes from the electorates both on the presidential level and parliamentary level, Mahama reiterated his party’s position of rejecting the ‘fictionalised results of the flawed elections’.
“I am a staunch believer in the experiment of democracy – a system of governance that allows the ultimate decision making power to rest in the hands of you, the good people of Ghana. We the people who with an eye towards the future we would like for our dear country elect representatives to go forward and realize that vision. Government serves at the choice, direction and pleasure of the people of this great nation. And I have had the power and honour to serve my country in all levels of government. When in 2016, at the end of my first full term as president, I ran for re-election as an incumbent candidate, I respected the will of the people – I conceded, I stepped aside and I set in motion a peaceful transfer of power because I understood that it was the will of the people. And if we are to progress as a nation, if we are to live up to the inheritance of our history -one for which people have paid the ultimate price -the sacred verdict of the people must be respected, it must be protected. It has been my pledge throughout my time of service as a representative to the good people of Ghana to do exactly that, and that is why I stand before you tonight, unwilling to accept the fictionalised results of a flawed election,’’ Mahama said.
Mahama further expressed his pride in NDC’s parliamentary candidates for winning 63 more seats in parliament and making up for the 2016 election losses. He added that the candidates have indeed demonstrated the strength of the party and the strength of the mandate given to the NDC by Ghanaians to lead the country.
