General News of Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-05-17I prepared a victory and concession speech for 2016 – John Mahama
Former President John Dramani Mahama
John Mahama losses 2016 election
John Mahama’s challenge of 2022 election result fails
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Former President John Dramani Mahama has stated that he went into the 2016 elections prepared for all possible outcomes.
According to Mr Mahama, understanding the outcomes of an election meant he had prepared the results including readying both a victory speech and
Read full article.a concession speech.
“When going into an election, prepare to either win or lose. In 2016, I prepared two speeches, and unfortunately, I had to use the concession speech in 2016,” Mahama said.
Speaking to Samson Kasumba of Uganda-based NBS Television, former President Mahama touted himself as a true democrat who has over the years shown respect for democratic principles surrounding elections.
“In 2016, I was the incumbent President, and I lost an election. I conceded and congratulated my opponent and attended his inauguration.
“I have a track record of conceding to elections asserting they were free and fair. 2021 was not the same. When I was President, we didn’t interfere with the election security committee. They did their job,” Mr Mahama said.
Former President Mahama, in 2016 lost a reelection bid to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In 2022, Mr Mahama again lost to President Akufo-Addo but refused to concede defeat citing electoral irregularities.
A suit challenging the election results was thrown out by the Supreme Court, who tagged the petition as lacking merit.
Meanwhile, former President Mahama in his interview with NBS television expressed his willingness to contest the upcoming presidential election in 2024.
"I will not be worried if the party decides to pick a different aspirant since its main focus is to win the elections in 2024 because my country has given me so much, educated me and made me who I am so if the party allows me to stand, I will not disappoint them", former President Mahama noted.
"The main priority is winning the elections in 2024, but if the party decides that I or someone else should stand, it will all be fine with me so that together in peace, unity, harmony and cohesion the NDC will return to power in 2025," the former went on to add.
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