The Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Josephine Nkrumah has advised the citizenry to guard the country’s peace, unity, stability and eschew violence after declaration of presidential results by the Electoral Commission (EC) of the just-ended polls.
She explained that although the Commission had observed a generally peaceful conduct of the polls and commended the Electoral Management Body, media, election stakeholders and the public for the calm nature they went about the polls, pockets of violence, disturbances and commotion, if care was not taken, may escalate and mar the beauty of the hitherto peaceful elections after polls.
Ms Nkrumah noted that the commission was particularly concerned about isolated reports of violence trickling in after the polls ended on December7, 2020. The incidents among others are worrying especially after much has been committed, dedicated and determination to educating and sensitising the citizenry on the need to eschew violence after polls and beyond.
“It is also concerned about disagreements regarding counting and collation of results by political parties stalling the conclusion of the processes of elections and urge all relevant actors to cooperate with each other to ensure smooth conclusion of results culminating in lawful declaration of results by the Electoral Commission.
“We are equally concerned by premature declaration of results by the two dominant parties ahead of the Electoral Commission, the only party mandated by law to declare election results, political parties be mindful of their pronouncements ahead of official declaration by Electoral Management Body.
“We call on the media to be circumspect, use your platforms to preach peaceful cohesion ahead of final declaration, commend security services for efforts of maintaining law and order before, during, after polls and beyond, Election Security Taskforce step up efforts to protect and preserve peace, unity and stability in order to maintain and jealously guard gains made in our democratic journey,” Ms Nkrumah entreated.
She implored all political parties, the citizenry to be measured in their utterances, actions as well as exercise restraint and allow the Electoral Commission to perform its constitutional mandate of declaring the election results. –classfmonline.com
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