General News of Friday, 26 March 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

John Mahama to call Akufo-Addo to finally concede defeat in 2020 elections

Former President John Dramani Mahama and President Akufo-Addo Former President John Dramani Mahama and President Akufo-Addo

Twenty-two days after the Supreme Court ruled that his political rival Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was the legitimate winner of the 2020 elections, John Dramani Mahama is now considering congratulating him.

A report by pro-government radio station Asaase Radio which cites sources within the Functional Executive of the National Democratic Congress indicates that John Mahama will in the coming days concede defeat by calling Akufo-Addo to congratulate him.

The report states that Mahama had planned to make his concession earlier but some elements within the party impressed on him to shelve it.

But Mahama is now convinced that accepting the results is the best thing for the country and will in the coming days concede defeat.

Despite the Supreme Court being unanimous in its ruling that the petition by John Mahama lacked merit, the NDC flagbearer had maintained that he was offered a raw deal by both the EC and the court.

In a press conference held after the declaration of the verdict, Mahama neither accepted nor rejected the position of the seven Supreme Court justices.

The closest he came to offering clarity on his position was when he said, “much as I'm aware that we're legally bound by the decision of the highest court of the land - the Supreme Court of Ghana- I disagree with the process and the ruling of the case. For the avoidance of doubts, I said that much as I'm aware that we're legally bound by the decision of the Supreme Court, I disagree with the process of the trial and ruling of the court.’

Mahama, it will be recalled, polled six million, two hundred and fourteen thousand, eight hundred and eighty-nine (6, 214, 889) votes, representing 47.20% of the total valid votes in the December election.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on the other hand, garnered six million, seven hundred and thirty thousand, four hundred and thirteen (6, 730, 413) votes representing 51.25% of the valid votes cast.