Ghana’s opposition candidate John Mahama on Thursday rejected as “fraudulent” the results of the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections in which President Nana Akufo-Addo won a second term.
Challenging election results could test the stability of the West African nation, where previous electoral grievances have been pursued through the courts.
A day earlier, the electoral commission said that Akufo-Addo had won 51.59 percent of the vote on Monday, ahead of Mahama with 47.36 percent.
But Mahama rejected those numbers.
I stand before you tonight unwilling to accept the fictionalised results of a flawed election,” he told a news conference.
“We will take all legitimate steps to reverse this tragedy of justice.”
The 62-year-old claimed that “numerous steps have been taken to manipulate the results of the election in favour of the incumbent.”
The tightly contested race has led to tensions between the two main parties, with the opposition candidate accusing the president of abuse of power.
“Armed forces featured heavily as an intimidating measure to reverse election results,” Mahama said and called on the international community “to remain engaged in what is happening in Ghana and to take careful note of the current threat that is being waged to our democracy.”
According to the provisional results published by the electoral commission, Akufo-Addo’s New Patriotic Party won 137 seats in parliament, while Mahama’s National Democratic Congress won 136.
The full results of the parliamentary elections have not yet been announced but the opposition leader said his party had in fact won 140 seats.
