Member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, Ishaq Ibrahim (Esq.), has described recent comments by Kennedy Agyapong saying he would never concede defeat in an election as ‘very disappointing’.
According to him, while Agyapong is someone he respects, such actions undermine the principles of democracy.
Speaking on Metro Tv on October 16, Ishaq Ibrahim expressed his disagreement the the NPP flag bearer candidate.
“For honourable Kennedy saying that if it is him he will never concede defeat, I like him as a person but it was very very disappointing,” he said.
“In a democracy you fight hard to win. And if you want to sustain that democracy, you have to be fair, take into account the interests of the country,” he added.
He cited examples of some Democratic states that are known for conceding early, saying it helps preserve peace and public confidence.
“If you do your own mathematics and you’re not winning, in a proper healthy democracy it is right to congratulate your opponent very early,”
“If you look at the matured democracies such as Britain and United States of which we aspire to become like, they do so. It gives hope to the citizens,” he stated.
“If I do my mathematics and I know I am losing the election, why wait till two or three people die before I concede defeat?” Mr. Ibrahim questioned.
He added that Ken Agyapong was obviously referring to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who conceded defeat ahead of the Electoral Commission’s official declaration in 2024.
“If you read the international press at that time he was credited for this. And we know since 1994 he’s the only person that has done that,” he said.
“He did so to avert any potential conflict that he could supersede that people were preparing. Leading up to the election on Election Day, the tension was huge. There was potential conflict, potential violence,” he said.
He acknowledged that while conceding is a matter of choice, it should be guided by national interest.
“It’s a matter of taking the best interest of the country at heart and making a decision. Why wait until people die?”
He stressed that Bawumia’s decision was an act of statesmanship.
“It tells me that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is not interested in becoming the president, he’s interested in promoting the best interest of the country.”
