Finally, after several months of serious political campaigning, Ghanaians across the length and breadth of the country are going to the polls today to elect a president who would manage the economy for the next four years.
The Ghanaian voting population would also be casting their votes to decide on who goes to the law-making chamber to form the next parliament of the Republic for another four years.
So far, seven out of the 13 candidates, including an independent candidate who declared their intentions to contest the presidential election have toured the nook and cranny of the nation to sell their messages to Ghanaians so they can vote for them.
Six days ago, some of the voters who went to cast their ballots in the special voting exercise held across the country were not happy because they could not find their names in the voters register and some even demonstrated their dissatisfaction over the issue.
A lot of Ghanaians have the perception that because the Electoral Commission could not properly handle the electoral process for only 127,394 people at the special voting level, it is unlikely it can handle the over 15 million people expected to vote today.
This is the reason why The Chronicle is calling on Ghanaians to prove to the world that we have come of age as far as the practice of democracy is concerned and that, whatever the situation, we shall come out peacefully.
The various political parties have sold their messages to the people. The people have bought into the messages and have already made up their minds in respect to where their votes are going.
Some have already settled for the messages of one village – one dam, one district – one factory and change is coming among others from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Nana Akufo Addo, while others have bought into the infrastructural development mantra and ‘mini’ Dubai at Kwame Nkrumah Circle from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and are ready to allow President Mahama to continue (‘toaso’).
Others have vouched for Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom and Ivor Greenstreet among others and are willing to cast their votes for their choice of political parties at the end of the day.
It is an undeniable fact that Ghana is seen as the shining star in the West Africa sub-region, if not the entire African continent, as far as issues of democracy and elections are concerned.
Therefore, all eyes are on the country as we go to the polls today, and it is as a result of this that we cannot fail the world.
Consequently, The Chronicle is appealing to all Ghanaians to develop a high sense of tolerance and avoid acrimony, rancour and violence in today’s election because that is the only way we can maintain the peace the country is currently enjoying.
There have been instances where pockets of violence have been recorded in parts of the country including the sighting of people carrying already thumb printed ballot papers, sacks of money to influence voters in parts of the country, among others.
The paper is thus charging the security agencies, led by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. John Kudalor to gird their loins and keep vigil in areas identified as flash points to ensure that no violence is recorded there.
The Chronicle is furthermore charging Christians and Moslems to engage in serious prayers and make supplications to God to come to our aid in these times of difficulty.
We should not see today’s election as a do or die affair because whatever happens, one of the political parties will emerge the winner and when that happens, we should accept it in good fate.
We should be concerned about our families, children and life after the elections and abide by the rules and regulations of the game.
After casting our ballot, we should quietly leave the polling station and go home, and when it is 5.00pm, we can return to the area to either witness the counting or to find out which party won.
We must be very careful how we jubilate if our political parties win because the way we jubilate could anger someone whose party lost the election and this could degenerate into chaos and civil conflict.
However, if we lose, that would not be the end of the world, so we should not be carried away and take the law into your own hands and misbehave or create tension out of the election and make life unbearable for the ordinary Ghanaian.
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