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Former UN chief Kofi Annan calls for calm in Ghana ahead of election results

Xinhua, December 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

Former United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan Friday urged calm among political stakeholders in his home country ahead of the declaration of Wednesday's presidential election result.

This followed the seeming tension brewing in the camps of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) who are both claiming victory.

A statement released here said: "I call on the candidates, their parties and their supporters to remain calm until the announcement of the final results by the Election Commission (EC). There is no reason for incitement."

"In the spirit of democracy, I call on the losers to concede as quickly as possible to defuse tensions and allay uncertainties. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the five candidates who have already done so in light of the preliminary results and clear trends. The people of Ghana are waiting and watching, let's not disappoint them."

Annan commended the country's electoral body for conducting a credible election as well as domestic and international observers for their role in the electoral process. Endit