Presidential candidates of Afghan election have unanimously demanded 100 percent audit of polled votes

Kabul, Afghanistan: Both Presidential candidates of Afghan election have unanimously demanded 100 percent audit of polled votes.   Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani are ready to accept results once 100 percent audit of polled votes is done.

Candidate Ashraf Ghani said in his twitter message after Press Conference along with US Secretary of State John Kerry and his opponent candidate Abdullah Abdullah that:

Stability of the country is the desire of every Afghan. Therefore, we have committed to the thoroughest & 100% audit of the votes.

— Ashraf Ghani (@ashrafghani) July 12, 2014

Stability of the country is the desire of every Afghan. Therefore, we have committed to the thoroughest & 100% audit of the votes. Because the audit might take a few weeks, I request President Karzai to postpone the date of inauguration. I pledge with all Afghans that your votes will not be compromised and your every single vote will be respected during the audit. I, once again, strongly emphasise that we will not tolerate any votes of fraud.

While Abdullah Abdullah said:

We have a technical agreement and a framework of national unity. I would request Pres. Karzai to delay the inauguration date.

100% audit of ballot boxes starting in 24 hours #AfghanElections — Dr.Abdullah Abdullah (@DrAbdullahAFG) July 12, 2014

This press conference is outcome of intense diplomacy done by US Secretary of States John Kerry who has been in contact with both candidates right after the results were announced.

During press conference Kerry said:

Afghanistan’s two presidential election candidates have agreed to an audit in an attempt to resolve a dispute over the result of last month’s vote. The recount of all 8m ballots would begin within 24 hours.

Kerry reached Kabul on Friday  for stopping candidate Abdullah Abdullah for announcing  “parallel government”. He praised Mr Ghani and Mr Abdullah for their commitment to the electoral process.

“This is the strongest possible signal by both candidates of a desire to restore legitimacy to the process and to Afghan democracy,” Kerry commented.

It may be mentioned that results announced by the Free Election Commission of Afghanistan gave 56.44% of votes in the 14 June run-off,  to Ashraf Ghani and 43.45%. to Abdullah Abdullah. The results were exceptionally different from those achieved in the first round of voting, held in April, when Mr Ghani was standing quite low in percentage.

Observers say that both candidates showed true statesmanship. For a good future for Afghanistan. This is a good day for Afghanistan