Daily Independent (Lagos)
Sunny Igboanugo
7 January 2009
On Tuesday, December 30, a delegation of the Federal Government was in Ghana, one of Nigeria's strategic and influential neighbours in the West African sub-region.
The mission of the delegation led by National Security Adviser, General Abdul Serki Muktar was to intervene in what appeared a political debacle in the country. It had specifically come with a message from President Umaru Yar'Adua to his Ghanaian counterpart, Mr. John Kufuor, to him that Nigeria was deeply interested in the political development in the country.
Ordinarily the visit would have been seen as a brotherly show of concern to a development, which appeared laden with signs of danger of political and social crisis, similar to those that have darkened the firmament in many African countries for so long. But it was, as events have come to prove, an unwarranted misstep, which has added to the litany of embarrassing developments seemingly trailing its activities in relations to internal and external engagements in its jagged history. Even before the curtain could fall on the report, shown on television, it had become a subject of intense debate. Not a few saw it as an unnecessary showmanship, aimed at achieving other aims than what it ordinarily appeared. It was seen as an uncanny public relations stunt aimed at selling the oft-repeated mantra, which became more forceful after the 2007 sordid magic, of election not being free anywhere in the world than any attempt to help.
Not only because of the timing, but that it was made such a ceremonial affair with a compliment of television cameras beaming on it, seemed to bolster the thinking that it had more implications than met the eyes. The argument that Yar'Adua could have picked up his phone to express such concerns, as other world leaders might have done, also added to the belief that the country had not come to help. In fact, one Ghanaian journalist had tried to make a joke of the whole show, comparing it to a vagabond, without a family going to mediate on what he believed was a quarrel between a husband and wife, when their voices only rose on a minor disagreement. Such an effort could have elicited nothing but open disdain among the couple or at best, a source of entertainment capable of strengthening their relationship, he said.
According to him the bemused couple would be wondering from whence the meddlesome interloper obtained his principles for such intervention. Even if this argument was misplaced or overstretched in respect of the Nigerian intervention, it would be strengthened by today's Ghana. Not only that Nigeria stands out as the only country, which toed that line in engaging with the country at that moment, but the effortlessness with which the supposed electoral debacle was resolved, only helps to cast the self-acclaimed giant of Africa in the garb of the biblical busybody, whose eyes are covered with logs, seeking to remove the specks in somebody else's eyes. Today, Ghana is installing a brand new President, in Prof. Evans Attah Mills.
A Tortuous, But Sure-footed Journey
There is no doubt that the journey leading to today's historic event was strewn with a lot of disturbing signals capable of making the less schooled in the Ghanaian development and political history anxious. In fact, the only sin Nigeria would have committed in the eyes of its traducers is that of hypocrisy arising from its own history of democratic ethos and not that it had no basis for showing concern, if such was actually intended.
The situation in the country, especially to the uninitiated and those unaware of what has come to be known as "the Ghanaian Spirit" had indeed degenerated to a level where many lovers of democracy across the ought to become worried that the country, which had begun to advertise itself as one of the most viable democracies, not only in Africa, but the world, was about to miss it this time. It took the disputes between the two main political parties that contested in the run-off election, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), that seemed to have reached a crescendo to come to this.
By morning of Tuesday, in the country, it was obvious that things were no longer at ease in the country. Hundreds of NDP supporters had besieged the Ridge, Accra office of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (ECG), demanding the immediate release of the result of the run-off election, which they believed then, and rightly too, was won by their candidate. The demonstrators, who obviously had been told of an alleged plan by the rival ruling party to manipulate the election, had feared that the EC had been sold on the project.
The demonstration, which began the previous evening with chants of "we want peace, we want peace" had grown in intensity with the lapse of time. The commission had indicated that it would declare the result of the election by noon on Tuesday. But it did not until well over 5p.m. Ghanaian time. By then, even those who had seen the agitation as unnecessary attempt to taint the credible electoral process, which the world had celebrated in the first ballot, and which many also saw as evident during the repeat, had begun to believe the NDC story. That was until the EC spoke.
Its boss, Dr. Kwado Afari-Dyan in announcing that the country would not know its next president till Friday that week, had explained that the delay, was necessitated by the need to iron out some differences among the two contending political parties, alleging electoral infractions against each other in their strongholds. He acknowledged that the NDC raised serious concerns against the results of the election particularly in Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region, home of incumbent President, John Kufuor, while the NPP also did same over some constituencies in the Volta Region, home of his predecessor, Jerry Rawlings.
"We have always said that the name of the game is evidence. And today, the NDC provided some evidence that we think that there is a need to audit some of the results of the election in the Ashanti Region, and NPP has promised to do same in regards to some of the elections in the Volta Region," he had said.
Though he also acknowledged that Mills was in the lead, he explained that because of the closeness of the result it was necessary to conduct fresh election in Tain constituency, in the Brong Ahafo Region, where none was held on December 28, as a result of the violence that led to the burning of the commission's office in the district. He added that the election in the outstanding constituency was to clear any doubt about the eventual winner, because the result there-from could affect the outcome of the entire election.
A Cooling Balm On Festering Wound
The effect was instant. It was like a glass of cold drink to a scotching throat. Like the morning dew under the first sunlight, the massive tension that overwhelmed the country, evaporated in a dramatic manner. It was like as it happened three weeks earlier on December 10, when it took the words of the same man to douse tension created by the allegation from the NDC that the NPP had rigged the election. In both cases, the party was wrong. But it was also happy that it was wrong. In fact in the case of penultimate Tuesday, which was laced with street demonstrations their anger turned to celebration instantly.
Closely monitored by security operatives, including the army and police, who had erected metal barricades to prevent them from gaining access into the commission's compound, the irate mobs, donning the regalia of the party had formed into groups dancing in different directions on the road leading in and out of the commission's office. Indeed, to anybody in Ghana, especially the capital, the elixir effect of the development was evident.
Hunted Now Hunter
But just when many seemed to have heaved sighs of relief, events took another dive down the slope. The NPP, which all the while seemed to have been playing it cool, became the aggressor, initiating its own demands. Upping their agitation with court petitions, the party first wanted the EC to put off the announcement of the result of the election after the Tain exercise pending the determination of electoral challenges in some contentious areas during the run-off. Later the demand, which was refused by an Accra High Court, changed as they insisted, this time that the election should not even take place until the Volta Region dispute was settled. It was also refused, as the court, before Justice Amoako Asante, had insisted that the petitioners, in all the cases should put other interested parties on notice, instead of coming by ex-parte motions. This was followed with renewed demonstration in the outstanding constituency, where supporters of the party besieged on the eve of the election chanting "No Volta, No Vote." All these further darkened the cloud and raised another wave of apprehensions.
Kufuor To The Rescue
To say that most lovers of democracy, especially non-Ghanaians, who were following the development, may not have slept well on Thursday night, could be an understatement, because to them there was a lot to worry about, owing to the development of the previous days. Their apprehension was even given more verve by the fact that the government of the day had spoken very little on the matter, which gave some impression that it could be behind its party. But again, this was for the uninitiated. But they needed not wait anymore as their expectations were met the next morning. Kufuor, who it was learnt, was having some testy times with some hawks in his party did not only come out openly to declare his stand, but did so in the most effective manner. In a rare show of statesmanship, almost impossible in the entire African continent, he moved to remove the wind off the sail of his party's ship and virtually deflate the mounting tension thereof.
Instead of siding the party in its court case, he cautioned it to respect the supremacy of the nation's electoral umpire. Obviously the President was not only disturbed at the signal the developments was sending to the outside world about the country, but the fact that his elaborately-crafted transition could either be tainted or derailed by it. In fact he feared a constitutional crisis was on the way with the attitude of the disputants.
He said this much in a statement he personally signed urging restraints among all stakeholders in the exercise. His words: "The Year 2009 has dawned on us and it is my greatest pleasure to wish the entire nation a very happy New Year. For many Ghanaians the joy of the New Year has been tampered to an extent by the intense anxiety and high tension arising out of the ongoing Presidential elections, which is yet to throw up a clear winner, despite last week's run-off. The two contesting parties have raised pertinent concerns, which are being addressed by the Independent Electoral Commission, among others. It is important however that we meet the Constitutional timetable for handing over on the January 7th. I therefore urge all stakeholders to yield to the authority of the Electoral Commissioner when he declares the results. Any outstanding issues may be settled later by due process.
"I should also appeal to the media also to exercise the greatest sense of responsibility and circumspection in discharging their functions. They must not inflame passions or incite people to undertake negative actions. Rather, their work should be guided by the public good at all times. On the part of the security forces, I know that the nation can count on them to remain neutral and to display the highest sense of professionalism in the conduct of their work at this very critical time in the country's history. Lastly, I entreat the general public to remain calm until the result of the election is declared by the Electoral Commission to facilitate the transfer of power from this government to the next on 7th January as mandated by the nation all Constitution."
In fact, Kufuor was said to have headed to the crucial constituency on Thursday, in attempt to shore up support for his party in the election, but could neither touch down nor address a scheduled rally due to the turn of events. He had to head back to Accra, in what was explained as security reasons, but which insiders attributed to his disagreement with some of the party elements. Informed sources had actually revealed a face off between the hawks insisting on stalling the release of election results, and the doves, intent on avoiding crisis in the country. Kufuor in this matter played the dove.
Before this, the confusion, which had set in earlier had gained momentum when by Friday morning, talks were rife in NPP quarters that the party had succeeded in obtaining an injunction restraining the EC from holding the election, and that it would be committing contempt of the court if it went ahead with it.
Garby Daku, a lawyer and top member of the party, had confirmed that the injunction had been served on the District Electoral Commissioner for the Tain constituency.
But Sarfo Katanka, Deputy Commissioner of the EC, insisted it had not got any of such injunctions, saying that the decision of the party to withdraw its agents would neither invalidate the election nor detract from its credibility.
"The presence of agents is to see what is happening at the polling stations. This can be done willingly or otherwise. If a party decides to withdraw their agents, it is within their powers to do so. It does not invalidate the outcome of the election. I am not aware of any injunction. Yesterday (Thursday) was a public holiday and nobody is expected to be in the office. I don't know who they served it on," he said. Whatever doubt remained over the election, seemed to have been cleared by the President's stand.
It was therefore an icing on the cake, when at exactly 11a.m. Saturday, Afari-Gyan whose regal and fatherly mien, increased several notches that morning, as he came to perform his constitutional duty, eventually gave the country what they had waited anxiously for a whole month, the President. He did, stating his case in an unmistakable manner once again.
The commission's chairman, who had released results in the 229 out of the 230 constituencies, simply added of Tain to reach his verdict, in the exercise where the NDC had swept eight of the 10 constituencies. The result of the outstanding constituency showed that Mills polled 19,566 and Akufo-Addo, 2,035. With that the result now stood at 4,480,446 or 49.77 per cent for the NPP candidate and 4,521,032 representing 50.23 per cent for his NDC counterpart. While the number of valid votes stood at 9,001,478, the total number of votes cast out of the 12,472,758 registered voters stood at 9,094,364, rejected votes, 92,886 representing 1.02 per cent, while total percentage turn out stood at 72.91 per cent. He told his audience, including local and international journalists and observers that contrary to information, nothing was deducted from or added to the number of votes obtained by either of the parties in the disputed areas.
"What I did indicate was that the NDC had complained about the results of certain constituencies in the Ashanti Region, and the NPP had similarly complained about the results from certain constituencies in the Volta Region. I did also say that if evidence were provided in support of any of such complaints, it would be examined on its merit and any relevant findings would be factored into the final declaration of results," he said.
Explaining that the commission had since met to examine materials submitted by both the NDC and NPP in the nature of evidence to support their claims, he said that none of the parties made any verifiable claim that could lead to altering the result of the previous election.
His words: "The NDC failed to submit complete sets of polling-station-by-polling-station declaration of results forms to enable a re-examination of the collated figures for the constituencies in Ashanti that they had complained about. In respect of the materials submitted by NPP in the nature of evidence, the commission found out that some of the issues raised bother on criminality and, therefore, fall outside the competence of the electoral commission. In the purely electoral matters, the commission did not find the evidence provided to be sufficient to invalidate the results."
Expectedly, the announcement elicited thunderous ovations in and around Accra, sending many residents, who had been glued to their television sets to the streets in wild jubilation.
In virtually every part of the country's capital, the picture of supporters of the party, most of them donning its paraphernalia danced and ran around. Private and commercial drivers hooted their horns. Every available space at the party headquarters and Mills' campaign office were taken over by joyous NDC faithful, while drinking parlours and other places of enjoyment were equally besieged. Security agents, particularly the police, who had manned several streets, apparently in anticipation of trouble needed not worry, as even the NPP supporters, the potential troublemakers were seen joining the fray.
Mills, Magnanimous, Akufo-Addo Cautious
One interesting development in the entire episode was the manner each of the combatants seemed to receive the news. There was no doubt to a careful observer that each appeared quite mindful of public opinion. Thus, while Mills obviously appeared happy over the result of the election, he did not only try not to betray his inner emotions, but urged his supporters to do likewise.
Not only did he not try to rub his victory in, he even seemed quite reconciliatory. Cautioning his supporters not to carry their celebrations too far in order not to spark off events capable of leading to insecurity, he said his victory should now be seen as that of entire country rather than party.
"We need to be preparing for the task ahead. We need to be preparing to build a better Ghana, and we need to be conscious that this is only one day or one step in the journey of a million miles," he said.
Akufo-Addo, even though still protested the process of the election, which he said was not totally satisfactory, did not fail to send words of congratulations to his opponent, having been declared winner.
Heroes Among Winners
Just as the new President had said while addressing his victory address to his supporters, it would be totally difficult to place a bet on who the actual hero of the Ghanaian electoral process was, in the exercise that lapsed last week. Indeed, doing so would elicit the axiomatic description of an elephant by the three blind men. While some may want to give it to the Ghanaian electorate, who was constantly on the watch, ensuring that any electoral violation was challenged, others would vote the electoral commission, especially the chairman, who like Caesar's wife was above reproach throughout the exercise. While many would elect Kufuor for his rare courage in avoiding the do-or-die posture, even in the obvious blow to his party, actually intervened when the nation needed him, others would want to give it to the candidates, who ensured that they knew and maintained their limits in order not to tip the burning lamp and cause fire in the entire house.
Many would also have elected the security forces, who, elsewhere in neighbouring countries, would have taken pride in not only assisting to cart away ballot boxes, killing and maiming in the process, but ensure that countless dead bodies littered the streets as a sign of not betraying weakness or ensuring would-be demonstrators that the Public Order Act was in force. Yet many would look for the icons, who put the processes and institutions that became the foundation of the democratic revolution in Ghana. The media equally played an enviable role in ensuring, as Mills acknowledged that the politicians were put on their toes.
However, as Mills takes his oath of office today, he would definitely be conscious of one fact, Ghanaians would not do anything else to politicians who splash water on them while driving past the streets or taunts them with their affluence. They simply show them their thumbs. That to them, is what counts. How he remembers this would definitely show in the next four years.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
