SPEECH DELIVERED BY NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA, ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016, AFTER THE DECLARATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, fellow Ghanaians,
A few minutes ago, at 7:51pm precisely, the President of the Republic and the NDC presidential candidate, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, called me on the phone to congratulate me on my victory in the presidential election of 7th December 2016. He wished me the best of luck and God’s blessings, and assured me of his full co-operation in organizing the transition from his administration to mine.
I thanked him for this graceful gesture, which is in the finest traditions of Ghanaian statesmanship and, on my part, assured him of my cooperation for a successful transition. I also thanked him for his service to our nation and said that I felt sure that his contribution to the welfare of our Republic was by no means over. I have also received words of congratulation from my other competitors, Mr. Ivor Greenstreet, our former 1st Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, Dr. Edward Mahama, and Mr. Jacob Osei Yeboah. I am grateful to them.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei, who is the returning officer for presidential elections, in fulfilment of her constitutional obligations, has tonight, at 8:54pm, declared me the winner of the 2016 presidential election, with 5,716,026 votes, representing 53.85% of the valid votes cast. I am grateful to her for the announcement and her words of congratulation.
I thank Almighty God for His grace and favour in granting victory to the NPP and myself in this election. As His Word says in the Book of Holy Scripture in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
There has never been a more humbling moment in my life, and I thank you, the good people of Ghana, for this massive show of support and the confidence you have reposed in me and my party. I make this solemn pledge to you today – I will not let you down and will do all in my power to live up to your hopes and expectations. You are to be commended for the mature, peaceful and orderly manner in which you, once again, exercised your democratic franchise. The democratic credentials of our nation have been further enhanced by your conduct.
The Electoral Commission, under its new leadership, with Charlotte Osei in the Chair, is to be congratulated for organising this credible election. She and the Commission have allayed the fears of many about their capacity to conduct a good election. This election has contributed to strengthening the principles of democratic accountability in our body politic and the Commission will take a considerable part of the credit for that welcome outcome.
Our security services are to be commended for ensuring a generally peaceful conduct of the poll, and doing so in a professional manner. That is what the nation expects of them.
To members and sympathisers of the great Elephant family, to our illustrious former President of the Republic, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, to our founding members, leading figures, members of Party organs, parliamentary candidates and Members of Parliament, current and past national officers, regional, constituency, electoral area and polling station executives, thousands and thousands of volunteers, polling station agents, Kufuor-era appointees, campaign officials and staff, so ably led by Campaign Manager Peter Mac Manu, and to my running mate, the next Vice President of the Republic, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and his dynamic wife, Samira, I say a big thank you to each and every one of you for your hardwork, commitment and encouragement, and for your belief in me and in my leadership of our party over the last 8 years. Whilst this occasion would understandably lead to widespread jubilation amongst party supporters, I entreat them to respect the peace and the property
