Ghana: Longtime Presidential Candidacy Rivals Sign Peace Pact

No Electoral Violence

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo — who is seeking a second presidential term, and longtime political opposition rival, John Mahama, who also happens to be a former president and Akufo-Addo’s predecessor, have signed a peace pact before facing off at the polls in the upcoming election on Monday. The two have already gone head to head for the presidency twice before — with Mahama emerging victorious in 2012 and Akufo-Addo catching up to lead in 2016.

This year’s election will be the tiebreaker in the ongoing tug for power in Ghana between the two — in addition to the ten other candidates in the running.

As such, although Ghana has traditionally managed to contain post-electoral violence, many of the over 17 million Ghanaians registered to vote — who hope for a peaceful election, are worried that "vigilantes" hired by parties and the over 62,000 personnel deployed to provide security for politicians could cause problems at voting stations.

Especially in light of recent pre-election clashes and disagreements over the neutrality of the electoral commission.

The Ghanaian presidential race is expected to be very close.