The African Union recently noted that general elections, apart from being laudable hallmarks of representative democracy, also breed conflicts and violence that sometimes threaten the social order and economic development. One study noted that despite strong economic growth over the last decade by African countries, political instability remained an ongoing concern impeding continued economic growth. Among the reasons cited for political instability is the lack of a smooth process of handover of power on the eve of political elections. In Ghana, the 2012 elections dispute was marred with disputes in court, and could have led to disruptive social conflict with dire consequences on the economy
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