Election 2020: The killing of six voters by the military, police leaves sinking feeling in the stomach — CSO

A Civil Society group, Right Alliance Africa (RAA) has expressed dismay at events preceding the declaration of the just ended December 7 elections.

It says, it’s shocked at the election related violence leading to the killings of six innocent Ghanaians who protested the results of the elections at some constituencies.

In a statement signed by the Director of Communications, Michael Sumaila Nlasia, he said, “We are at a loss as to why six citizens had to lose their lives simply on account of their participation in the electioneering process; and the fact that the killings took place at the hands of agents of the country’s security services leaves a sinking feeling in the stomach.”

According to the statement, the election 2020 which was characterized by the killing of voters dents the democratic milestone of the country.

Right Alliance further described events preceding the general elections and outcome as unacceptable.

According to the CSO, the Electoral Commission after the declaration of presidential results changed the results seven times on it’s official website that saw Akufo-Addo as President-elect. However, the EC maintained that the change in the figures does not affect the outcome of the elections.

“It should be made clear that the Electoral Commission’s performance in this election is unacceptable. The fact that the EC has had to vary election result figures that it has declared seven times, after declaration is beyond disappointing.”

The group says: “We demand justice for the six victims who were set upon by their own country’s military and Police and murdered in cold blood.

"The murders, of course were just a crowning to the grand betrayal of the social contract that the people of Ghana have with our duty bearers. To say that the Government failed miserably in its duty to deliver another milestone in the democratic project is an understatement. And so, while we are seized with indignation over the killing of fellow Ghanaians we must also mourn the cost to our democracy.”

The statement further noted that, “We join all well-meaning Ghanaians to demand accountability from the Jean Mensa led Electoral Commission. In the least, we believe that the EC must heed to calls for the re-collation of all the results of the Parliamentary elections whose outcomes are in contention. Natural justice demands that parties who feel cheated in any election are given the opportunity to have recounts and re-collations. Thus, in Techiman South in particular, we demand that the EC furnish the political parties with the necessary collation sheets so that the issue can be settled amicably.”

Read full statement below:

For Immediate Release

29^th December, 2020

RIGHT ALLIANCE CALLS FOR JUSTICE IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS

Right Alliance Africa (RAA) has followed with consternation the freak show that became of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections and the post-traumatic stress that the country has been dealing with in the aftermath of the elections.

We are at a loss as to why six citizens had to lose their lives simply on account of their participation in the electioneering process; and the fact that the killings took place at the hands of agents of the country’s security services leaves a sinking feeling in the stomach.

Rather than the elections being the platform for them to exercise their fundamental human rights to elect their leaders, the elections became the theatre of the deaths of these precious citizens and this is unacceptable.

We demand justice for the six victims who were set upon by their own country’s military and Police and murdered in cold blood.

The murders, of course were just a crowning to the grand betrayal of the social contract that the people of Ghana have with our duty bearers. To say that the Government failed miserably in its duty to deliver another milestone in the democratic project is an understatement. And so, while we are seized with indignation over the killing of fellow Ghanaians we must also mourn the cost to our democracy.

Like Right Alliance and many Civil Society Organizations had pointed out from the beginning, the Government’s collaboration with the Electoral Commission to reinvent the wheels of our election apparatus by recompiling a new voters’ register was a reckless tempt of fate. Unfortunately, we have been proven right. However, that recklessness has already been perpetrated and so we will not flog a dead horse.

However, it should be made clear that the Electoral Commission’s performance in this election is unacceptable. The fact that the EC has had to vary election result figures that it has declared seven times, after declaration is beyond disappointing.

The insincerity involved in blatantly manipulating figures just so they can fit a pre-cast agenda to declare somebody as the winner of the Presidential election is shameful to be charitable. We remind the EC that the hardworking taxpayers of this country did not give them the Ghc430million that they asked for so that they can insult our intelligence.

We also express indignation over the EC’s foul up over the Techiman South Constituency Parliamentary elections outcome. How come the EC cannot furnish political parties demanding simple collation sheets so that they can cross check and satisfy themselves of the outcome of the election there?

What kind of Electoral Commission declares election results without collation? What kind of Electoral Commission changes declared results for a Presidential election seven times?

We join all well-meaning Ghanaians to demand accountability from the Jean Mensa led Electoral Commission. In the least, we believe that the EC must heed to calls for the re-collation of all the results of the Parliamentary elections whose outcomes are in contention. Natural justice demands that parties who feel cheated in any election are given the opportunity to have recounts and re-collations. Thus, in Techiman South in particular, we demand that the EC furnish the political parties with the necessary collation sheets so that the issue can be settled amicably.

In the matter of the Presidential election we join all well-meaning Ghanaians to demand a forensic audit of the results which has strangely mutated seven times on the EC’s own website after declaration.

In respect of the killings that happened during the elections, we are grateful that the security agencies have begun investigations into some and in some cases, actually apprehended suspects. We demand that all perpetrators are brought to justice.

We however express our indignation at President Akufo-Addo over his nonchalance in the matter of the killing of six citizens over the controversial elections that his government delivered. We will like to remind the President that he took an oath to protect all Ghanaians and do good to all manner of citizens and that breakage of that oath is criminal.

Signed

Director of Communication

Michael Sumaila Nlasia

Executive Secretary

Simon Tetteh