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Electoral reforms inevitable — de Klerk

F.W de KlerkA former President of South Africa, Mr F W de Klerk, has said electoral reforms in Ghana had become inevitable following the analyses and recommendations contained in the Supreme Court judgement on the 2012 election petition.

Commending Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the 2012 presidential candidate of the NPP, for the manner in which he accepted the judgement, even though he did not fully agree with it, Mr de Klerk said Ghana had become an example for other countries to emulate.

Former President de Klerk stated this when he paid a courtesy call on Nana Akufo-Addo at his residence in Accra yesterday.

He said Nana Akufo Addo’s quick response to the verdict had put him in good stead as an admirable statesman not only on the Africa continent but also the international stage.

Mr de Klerk said he faced the same situation as Nana Akufo-Addo in 1994, when he felt he was cheated in the general elections in South Africa.

He said he decided to take the matter to court but had to concede to the majority decision in order to stabilise the political system and not to stretch the matter too far.

He said for Nana Akufo- Addo to decide not to stretch the matter any further was a well informed decision based on experiences and insights from elsewhere, which made him to place the stability of the nation above his personal ambition.

He further explained that if Nelson Mandela had not been sick, he would surely have sent  Nana Akufo- Addo his best wishes through him (de Klerk), hinting on how reconciliation in South Africa had taken roots, an example  other African countries could take a cue from in nation building.

Nana Akufo- Addo said his party, which traces its roots to the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition since 1947, had committed itself to a free and open society, democracy and the rule of law.

He said it was for this reason that when the party detected some problems with the 2012 presidential elections, it took the matter to the Supreme Court for the court to decide.

He said as a party which upholds the rule of law, they had to accept the judgement of the Supreme Court, even if it was sour.

Nana Akufo-Addo stated that the party would, therefore, not jeopardise the free society and the tenets of the rule of law and democracy that its forefathers had stood for and helped to institutionalise in the country.

He said when there was chaos and anarchy in the country, the toils of their forefathers in building democracy and fighting one party system in the country would come to naught and the present generation would have to start all over again to restore democracy to the country.

He said he was mindful of the voice of the people and the belief that the ballot box ought to be the only means to choose leaders in the country.

Nana Akufo-Addo said he was, therefore, determined to see Ghana emerge as a genuine democracy in Africa, hence the reason for resorting to the Supreme Court.

Nana Akufo Addo said since Ghana and South Africa shared the same African conditions, an insight from South Africa through former President de Klerk would be helpful to Ghana.

Former President de Klerk is in the country at the invitation of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) to deliver a lecture on peace and stability after the Supreme Court judgement.

Meanwhile, the entire executives of the New Patriotic Party in the Central Region also paid a courtesy call on Nana Akufo-Addo yesterday to commend him for his courage and wisdom in lifting high the flag and  fortunes of the  party.

Replying, Nana Akufo Addo thanked them and said what was of paramount importance to him and the party was for its members to stay united to enable them to weather the storms that would come their way since the party was used to coming out victorious from challenges.

By Abdul Aziz/Daily Graphic/Ghana

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