IDEG Warns That Military's Comments About Electoral Violence 'Intervention' Could Threaten Democracy
- IDEG has warned that Ghana's democracy is at risk if concerns about the upcoming election turning violent are not addressed
- Dr Emmanuel Akwetey was worried about past utterances made by the Ghana Armed Forces about intervening in electoral violence
- He said events in the Sahel region demonstrated the threat of such utterances and how easy it was for a country to fall into military rule
Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, has cautioned that Ghana's democracy could be at risk if concerns about electoral violence are not addressed swiftly.
Dr Akwetey told JoyNews that certain comments made by the Ghana Armed Forces in the past should be of concern to 'all democracy-loving Ghanaians'.
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According to him, the Armed Forces have threatened to intervene on two different occasions if the upcoming elections turn violent and would exceed the capability of the Ghana Police Service if needed.
Dr Akwetey noted that in the event of unfettered violence, military forces would prioritise protecting Ghana’s territorial integrity, peace, and national unity.
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He said such utterances should be taken seriously, as should such an incident occur, he believes it would spell the death of civil rule and a return to military rule.
“That would be a coup because the police cannot deal with nationwide violence. They are not equipped for that,” he said.
Dr Akwetey said events unfolding in the Sahel region had demonstrated the real threat of such utterances and how easy it was for the country to fall under military rule.
"Read the papers, and you will see the threat is real in a sub-region where there is a drift towards the military or the return of military governments," he added.
Security expert dismisses coup claims
In an interview with YEN.com.gh, security expert Adib Saani dismissed concerns that the country is on the brink of a government overthrow.
According to him, commentary about a possible military takeover of the country is far from the truth.
He noted that in jurisdictions where coups have taken place, the collapse of democratic institutions often triggers such action.
However, in Ghana, the country’s democratic institutions are still intact.
He said democratic practices such as free and fair elections allow citizens to express their anger and frustration at elected officials and punish them.
“I see people saying we are not angry enough. Anger is not the last straw because, amid the anger, people are still able to vote and teach politicians lessons,” he said.
Should the civilian government subvert the people's will, he said, it may trigger an insurrection and eventually lead to an overthrow.
“So if the will of the people is subverted, you take the last hope that people have and that would, you know, that would become chaotic because it will create a state of hopelessness now we are suffering, we are angry, we are not able to tell who to rule us then it becomes dangerous.
“So, for me, attempting to subvert the will of the people would be extremely dangerous to the peace and security of Ghana, and the military might have no option but to step in.
“Usually military takeovers to some extent is the result of the failure of democracy you know when the rest of the people are validated the military always takes advantage of it and it has happened in other countries,” he explained.
NDC declines to sign peace pact
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress national chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said his party would not sign a peace declaration before the elections.
The NDC boss was sceptical about the effectiveness of such agreements because of past experiences and told Joy News that such agreements had not yielded results.
Nketia further claimed the Ghanaian government had not done enough to deter violence ahead of the December polls.
“If you allow violence to brew, it will happen whether you sign a declaration or not."
He urged the authorities to address the root causes of potential violence before it spiralled out of control.
Bawumia calls for peaceful 2024 elections
YEN.com.gh also reported that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has urged Ghanaians to maintain peace and stability amid the elections.
According to him, citizens should not incite violence and engage in violent confrontation merely because of a differing political ideology.
He said the December 7 polls and the political debates that will precede it should not be the reason for the destruction of property or a loss of lives.
Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
