Coming to power without ‘ballot box’ unacceptable – Akufo-Addo to ECOWAS Heads

President of Ghana and chairman of ECOWAS Nana Akufo-Addo has admonished west African leaders against manipulating electoral systems to stay in power.

According to President Akufo-Addo, there is no justification whatsoever for anybody to come to power through any other means rather than through the ballot box.

Speaking at the ECOWAS high-level seminar in Winneba, Nana Addo reiterated the commitment of the sub-regional body to ensure term limits are respected

He said “recessing to power by any other means other than the ballot box remains for me, wholly unacceptable no matter your sensible justification. This viewpoint is strongly affirmed by the ECOWAS supplementary protocol and democracy and good governance which we are all duty-bound to protect.”

“The protocol quite brightening, frowns on shortcuts to power other than through the ballot box. It, therefore, remains a duty of community institutions through constant interactions with all stakeholders to lay alarm bells whenever they feel things are going towards the wrong direction,” the president added.

Speaker of ECOWAS parliament Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis in the strongest terms possible called out leaders who amend constitutions and employ sham elections to prolong their stay in power

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh