“The calling to speak is a vocation of agony but we
must speak: we must with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited
vision”- Martin Luther King Jr.
The 2012 presidential and parliamentary poll has
come and gone, leaving in its trail useful lessons for us as a country to learn
so as to deepen our fledging democracy.
My very impression about the election was free,
fair and transparent plus the peaceful manner in which it was conducted much to
the admiration of both local and international observers.
Prior to 7December presidential and parliamentary election,
poll after poll predicated it to be “too close to call” though most polls favored
the ruling party. This consequently heightened the tension in the country.
Electioneering campaigns were very vigorous with one party trying to undo the
other with bread and butter issues. Sheer Propaganda and peddling of lies could
not be ruled out entirely though. Coupled with this is a loud cacophony of
noises on the airwaves.
Though many
Ghanaians were nervous about the peaceful nature of the polls; notwithstanding,
the peace accord also known as Kumasi declaration initiated by the Asanteman
Council and the National Peace Council to bind all the political parties to
violence-free election.
However I have always believed Ghana could stand the test
of time just as it did in 2008 election. The clarion call for peaceful polls by
well meaning Ghanaians both at home and abroad including religious leaders and
civil society groups was a step in the right direction.
It is my candid opinion that politics is not about do and
die affair: Ghana is bigger than any political party and every effort must be
made to maintain and sustain the relative peace the country is enjoying and
every individual is free to carry out their legitimate businesses without let
or hindrance. No matter how differing our views may be our collective will and
incessant yearning for peace and unity must not be gambled with.
Let it be reechoed that the matters arising as the post
election concerns are not out of place. It is not wrong to challenge the
results of an election as we are witnessing now but the show of maturity, tact
and professionalism in dealing with such an election dispute cannot be over
emphasized.
Surprisingly, I have heard few people say even Obama could
have won more votes but he was cheated. They say “voting machines in some parts
of U.S diverted some votes intended for Barack Obama to that of Mitt Romney’s”
Upon hearing this, I couldn’t help myself but burst into a
peal of laughter. May be, Obama would have made noise if the elections had not
gone his way or perhaps refused to accept defeat graciously.
So if the United States of America with all its touted
democratic credentials could record funny stories such as the one stated above,
I will be pretending if I say our elections suffer no minor hitches.
The magnitude of the electoral hitches to me does not in
any way affect the whole electoral process. After all there is no perfect
democracy anywhere. Don’t get me wrong! This is not to suggest that we as a
country should not pay attention to the logistic challenges that have bedeviled
the process, necessitating the Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) to
extend the voting day into day two.
Whether we like it or not, the dais have been cast, a
leader has been elected. What is quintessential is that once again the whole of
African continent would continue to look up to us as a beacon of hope after having
consolidated our democratic gains through the ballot box but not a barrel of
gun.
However dissatisfied the losing side may be, they can only
become satisfied if they remember that elections are not about them but the
ordinary people.
It does not matter where our guns may be pointing, what
matters is that we have a game to go home with. In moments like this when very
few aggrieved individuals who are very fixated with gaining power at all cost
are vandalizing, demonstrating sheer arrogance coupled with stabbing of
ordinary Ghanaians wearing a particular political party T-shirt , it is only
prudent that the law enforcement agencies proactively and decisively act to
prevent further mayhem.
Interestingly enough, in the wisdom of our constitution
framers, any aggrieved party in an election dispute, an avenue for seeking
redress at the law court has been enshrined to seek justice whilst strengthening
our democratic practice. The main opposition New Patriotic Party has indicated
its readiness to challenge the results declared by the EC in court. This must
not be seen as an attempt to scuffle the process but to test the provisions in
the constitution. It does not serve anybody’s interest when people believe they
have not been fairly treated by the system and can not find a way of addressing
their grievances and the only way left for them is to resort to taking the law
into their hands.
Moving forward, we have a country to build, aspirations to
meet and dreams to achieve. When we cry over spilt milk we only allow others to
figure out the shallowness of our imagination.
Congratulations Your Excellency John Dramani Mahama,
president of Ghana.
Your victory indeed was well fought and well deserved.
Long live Ghana; long live H.E John Dramani Mahama
Nathaniel Ekue-Mensah
