Mills ruled with 40,000 margin, but Akufo-Addo can’t with 500,000?

Many Ghanaians appear to be at a loss as to why former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress continue to create the impression that even though the late President John Evans Atta Mills could rule the nation with an electoral victory margin of just about 40,000, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo should not be allowed to rule with over 500,000 margin of victory.

President Mills, in 2008, after the run-off and the Tain election, polled 4,521,032 votes, representing 50.2 per cent, while then Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo polled 4,480,446, representing 49.8 per cent.

The difference between the two candidates was 40,586 votes and a percentage point difference of 0.4.

That notwithstanding, then Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, who was representing the governing NPP, accepted defeat for the opposition candidate, the late John Evans Atta Mills, with John Mahama as his running mate.

2020

This has therefore left many wondering why Mr Mahama, who was a beneficiary of a slim margin presidential results, would reject his overwhelming defeat with over 500,000 margin.

President Akufo-Addo polled 6,730,413, representing 51.302 per cent of the valid votes cast, against Mr Mahama’s 6,213,182, representing 47.359 per cent, in the December 7 presidential election.

The vote difference between the two is 517,231 and a percentage point difference of approximately four percentage points.

Mr Mahama, since his defeat, has however alleged that the election was stolen by the Electoral Commission for President Akufo-Addo.

He has since refused to accept defeat, and rather thrown supporters of his party onto the streets to cause mayhem.

So far, supporters of the party have demonstrated in almost all the 16 regions in the country.

Yesterday, the party’s Minority in Parliament clashed with personnel of the Ghana Police Service at the premises of the Electoral Commission when they sought to send a petition to the Commission.

Reports say about six persons have so far died in incidents of post-electoral violence, with several others injured.

Market fires

Linked to the many protests are unexplained fire outbreaks at some major market centres in the country.

In less than a week, there have been fire outbreaks at Koforidua, Kantamanto, Asankragua and Kaneshie markets among others.

Already police and intelligence agencies have arrested one Daniel Dah Kormlah, 41, suspected to be involved in the Kantamanto fire incident.

Daniel is an active member on various political platforms, namely NDC Group Administrators, Renaissance Agenda 2020, among others.

A joint team of Police and Intelligence operatives arrested him at his hideout in Ho in the Volta Region, last week, where he reportedly admitted to phone records that show several conversations between him and other persons aimed at incitement to riot and possible conspiracy to attack other state institutions.