Ghana has done it again, Welcome President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo

Ghana has once again demonstrated to the global community that it is the bastion of democracy in Africa.

This was amply manifested yesterday, after a long period of waiting when the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Charlotte Osei, declared Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) the President-elect of Ghana.

He thus becomes the fifth President in the Fourth Republic after President John Dramani Mahama, the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor and Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings.

The 2016 general election has been one of the most hotly contested races organised in the nation’s history.

Though the whole exercise was organised in an orderly and peaceful atmosphere last Wednesday, the delayed declaration of the result raised heightened tension and anxiety among the populace.

Who was to become the eventual winner in the presidential race was the guess of many people as various news outlets projected different results.

What added to the anxiety was the behaviour of both the governing  National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which were both assuring their supporters of having won the crunch polls.

That action  from the two political parties rather added to the heightened political tension.

Clearly, this was an unfortunate situation that caused so much and needless anxiety in the country over the period.

Indeed, many people from diverse backgrounds called the offices of the Daily Graphic seeking to find out which of the two presidential candidates of the NDC and the NPP had won the 2016 presidential race.

Following from this, the Daily Graphic went to find out from the people their expectations.

We specifically sought to find out the public’s view on how they felt waiting for the results of the 2016 general election.

The answers gathered were one of mixed, confused and nervous feelings. Some simply pointed out that “EC delaying the results for hours is giving me sleepless night.”

Indeed, many people were in a state of shock and denial with some of the results that went public.

Intriguingly, on the third day running after the 2016 polls, many businesses, unsure of the responses from supporters of the political parties, did not open their businesses at all and the streets were virtually empty.

What added to the problem was that although the media were cautioned not to call the polls, some of them changed the nomenclature to say they were projecting the candidates and the various figures they were releasing also added to the confusion and tension.

But now that the election management body, the EC, has declared Nana Akufo-Addo President-elect, it is the expectation of the Daily Graphic that the prevailing anxiety and tension will give way to one of tranquillity, unity and happiness.

It is equally our conviction that once the results have now been announced, the nation will support and rally behind the winner to guarantee unity and peaceful co-existence.

The Daily Graphic lauds President Mahama for graciously conceding defeat and congratulating his opponent, Nana Akufo-Addo.

On telephone last night ,President Mahama had a healthy conversation with Nana Akufo-Addo, in which the President assured him of his support and co-operation

On Thursday, the other five presidential candidates namely Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, the only independent presidential candidate also conceded defeat and congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo for a deserving victory.

Nana Akufo-Addo thanked the President for his graceful gesture and earlier thanked the other presidential candidates.

These are notable gestures needed for national development and progress and nothing untoward must be done to reverse the country’s democratic gains achieved under the Fourth Republic.

Furthermore, the Daily Graphic will like to encourage all the winners in the parliamentary and presidential elections, as well as the losers not to do anything to breach the peace since going forward, Ghana needs all hands on deck irrespective of political persuasions to stay the development agenda.

After all, there is unity in diversity. God Bless Ghana.