It is heart-warming for Ghana to chalk another success for the sixth time in the fourth republic. The 2012 election has been described by international election observers from ECOWAS, Africa Union (AU) headed by President Obasanjo as largely free and fair. Other Local observers like CODEO described the election as free and fair. Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) deployed their Election Observer Mission led by Mr. Ahmed Issack Hassan, the Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. EISA has membership drawn from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) from thirteen countries namely Burundi, Canada, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sweden, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. EISA described the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections as free, fair and credible.The Mission observed that the election campaigns were generally peaceful.

Despite mounting tensions closer to the polling day, the Mission noted with satisfaction the high level of tolerance between the various political parties and candidates. This owes partly to the inter-party conflict mechanism in the form of the Inter Parties Advisory Committee (IPAC) under which political parties in Ghana developed a Code of Conduct.

EISA is not happy about poor representation of women in the 2012 election and we think Ghana must do something about it.

NDC East Africa is happy about the conduct of the election. We commend the Electoral Commission headed by the indefatigable Dr Afari Gyan for good work! We congratulate all the parties for the mature manner in which the campaigns were conducted devoid of acrimony. There is this bickering by the main opposition party challenging the result with no evidence. It is smack of bad losers. The credibility and sanctity of the elections are incontestable as concluded by many election observers In spite of this, the people of Ghana are discerning, and they know the winner and would not allow themselves to be used by politicians who want power at all cost. The main opposition party,NPP has always had problems conceding defeat.

We thank the NDC party for the self control despite provocation. We congratulate the president-elect Mr. John Dramani Mahama for the victory and we hope there there will be no intimidation. We are all one people with a common destiny. We congratulate NDC party leadership and the foot soldiers for good work. Ghana has again made Africa proud. Congratulations to all Ghanaians.

Signed Dr Habib Ahmed

isam26gh@yahoo.com