Electioneering interspersed with controversies

THE year 2012 lived up to its billing as an election year. From the blow of the whistle to the end of the game, it was marked with preparations galore by both the election administrator [the Electoral Commission (EC)] and the main players (the political parties), which culminated in peaceful elections. It began with the call for the use of biometric registration and subsequent discussions by various stakeholders but eventually the commission announced that it would organise a biometric registration, the first of its kind in the electoral annals of the country. As usual with most electoral activities, even the award of the contract for the biometric registration was besmeared with allegations and counter-allegations, but finally it was settled and the commission started a 40-day registration exercise after some successful piloting. Because there were only 7,000 registration kits, polling stations were brought together as clusters, meaning that a team of registration officials with a set of equipment (kit) would be assigned to a number of polling stations in an electoral area. While most registration centres witnessed a smooth exercise, places like Odododiodoo in Accra was marked with clashes between the supporters of the two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). All this while, the NPP and the Danquah Institute were trumpeting their call for biometric verification during the election, but the EC promised that it would be considered later. However, the NDC for its part adduced a lot of argument to support their dislike for the use of the verification machine including the fact that it could break down on election day. Although the late President Mills had earlier won the mandate of delegates to contest the elections at the NDC congress in Sunyani, death did not allow him to live to see the 2012 elections when on July 24, 2012 he was pronounced dead at the 37 Military Hospital. The same day, then Vice-President John Dramani Mahama was sworn in as the President of the Republic. The National Executive of the NDC in a quick move resolved and nominated President Mahama as the sole candidate who was also overwhelmingly elected, just five months to the elections. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP presidential candidate, who had been elected in 2011, re-nominated his 2008 running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for the 2012 election. Another hot issue that deepened the division of the NDC and the NPP was the creation of 45 new constituencies by the EC after the establishment of some new district assemblies by the government. The NPP, after appealing to the nation and making its argument, went to the Supreme Court but the EC was given the green light by the highest court of the land to continue with the process. Just after the court’s declaration, the NPP and other parties which had not elected their aspirants for the 45 new constituencies moved into action and conducted their primaries. Some political parties which had not gone to congress to elect their flag bearers and those that had not held primaries to select parliamentary aspirants embarked in earnest processes to be battle ready for the much talked about 2012 general election. Surprisingly, a lot of political parties came into being and took their final certificate with the view to actively participating in the 2012 elections, although most of them did so at the tail end of the year and very close to the elections. Then came the first real test of the strength and capabilities of such political parties to contest the December 7 polls, the filing of nomination of presidential candidates. It took place on the October 17 and 18, 2012 with some casualties. It was a routine procedure for the NDC, NPP, PPP, CPP, PNC, GCPP, UFP and an independent presidential candidate. However, other parties, including the National Democratic Party (NDP), led by Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, and Prophet Daniel Nkansah’s New Vision Party (NVP) could not file their nomination to vie for the position. NDP took their case to the law courts but lost. For the NVP, they accused some officials of the EC of criminal conduct, alleging that those officials collected monies and promised to assist the party through the back door and ensure that their presidential candidate’s picture and name appeared on the ballot. Madam Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party, who could not pass the EC’s litmus test to become a presidential candidate, joined forces with Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom’s PPP. Frankly, this year’s election was a marked departure from the previous electioneering which centred mostly on personality attacks and unwarranted insults interspersed with few issues. The PPP, the PNC and the CPP nominated women to be their running mates, a feat which was unprecedented in the electoral history of Ghana. Another unparalleled occasion was the signing of the Kumasi Peace Accord by all the presidential candidates in Kumasi. December 7, 2012 came and went away and on December 9, 2012 the Electoral Commission in the performance of its constitutional duty pronounced President Mahama as the President-elect. This, however, did not pass without controversy. The NPP complained about some irregularities, but the EC said if the party had any problem it should go to court. After days of demonstrations and press conferences by both members and leaders of the party, the NPP, led by its presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as well as the National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obestebi-Lamptey, filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging the election results.