The White House Monday urged all Ghanaians to accept the result of their election, congratulating President John Dramani Mahama on his win, despite the opposition candidate’s reluctance to concede.
According to the electoral commission, the incumbent Mahama won the vote held on Friday and Saturday by three percent, ahead of opposition candidate Nana Akufo-Addo.
Observers from the Commonwealth, West African bloc ECOWAS and local group CODEO all said the vote appeared peaceful and transparent but Akufo-Addo said Monday he was not ready to admit defeat.
“The United States congratulates President John Dramani Mahama and the people of Ghana for the successful election on December 7,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement.
“This is the sixth successful presidential and parliamentary election since 1992, and further demonstrates the people of Ghana’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
“The United States encourages all parties to accept the results and to use the appropriate legal processes to resolve any electoral disputes.”
Akufo-Addo, a human rights lawyer, told reporters earlier that his party believed fraud was a factor in the election.
“It shouldn’t be that on the surface we have democracy, but underneath we have something else. We want the democracy of Ghana to be a genuine one,” he said.
US backs Ghana's president despite vote dispute
