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A group from the West African Elders Forum (WAEF), led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, is in Ghana to observe the 2024 elections.
They arrived in Accra on Wednesday, ahead of the elections scheduled for December 7, 2027.
In his arrival speech, President Goodluck Jonathan asked Ghanaians to be patriotic and fight for peaceful, free, and transparent elections.
Mr. Kadre Ouedraogo, former Burkinabe Prime Minister and President of ECOWAS, as well as Ms Ann Iyonu, Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, and Ikechukwu Eze, Dr. Jonathan’s special adviser and director of media and communications, are among the delegation’s other members.
Wealth Ominabo, WAEF’s communications officer, issued a statement in which the former President urged the Electoral Commission of Ghana and security services to uphold their independence and neutrality in order to ensure a credible polling process.
The Mission leader praised the people of Ghana for their persistent dedication to democratic values, noting that Ghana’s history of peaceful political transitions serves as a beacon for democratic governance in Africa.
“The upcoming elections present another opportunity for Ghanaians to reinforce their dedication to democracy, stability, and development” , he commented.
He went on to say, “WAEF asks Ghana’s Electoral Commission to uphold its responsibility of holding free and fair elections, as well as ensuring the transparency and credibility of the 2024 polls, in order to establish trust among the voters and stakeholders.
“We encourage security agencies to preserve professional conduct, neutrality, and a peaceful electoral environment by assuring impartial deployment to protect voting materials, polling stations, and individuals throughout the country.
“As we approach the end of campaign activities, we urge all political parties and their candidates to reaffirm their commitment to peaceful campaigns devoid of hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric, and personal attacks.”
The former President also urged political parties, candidates, and other stakeholders to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and to address issues through legal and constitutional means.
Dr. Jonathan advised the youth and party supporters to follow the law during and after the elections, avoiding acts of intimidation or violence.
Dr. Jonathan described Ghana as an example of democracy and urged Ghanaians to protect the country’s democratic legacy by rejecting violence, intimidation, and activities that could jeopardize the electoral process.
“By working together, Ghanaians can once again assert the country’s position as a model of democracy built on a tradition of peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections.”
It should be noted that two months ago, Jonathan led WAEF to Accra to perform a pre-election assessment trip ahead of Ghana’s December 7, 2024 elections.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and current vice president, Mr. John Mahama, the former president and flagbearer of the main opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Inspector General of Police, the Electoral Security Task Force, the National Peace Council (NPC), and civil society organizations were among the pertinent stakeholders with whom the delegation conferred during the October mission.