Mr. Kofi Annan, the Former UN Secretary-General and Chairman of the Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security, has congratulated President-elect John Dramani Mahama on his victory in last Friday's election. “The Electoral Commission has declared John Mahama the winner of the 2012 presidential elections, and I congratulate him wholeheartedly on his victory. I also want to say how pleased I am that the elections were not marred by violence. I commend the Electoral Commission, political parties and the people of Ghana for their commitment to peaceful political expression," he said in a statement received in Accra on Tuesday. It added that, “the runner-up, Mr Akufo-Addo, conducted an impressive campaign. I wish to applaud him for his dedication to the democratic process, in which he has played such a vital role over many years." Mr. Annan said that at this critical stage, he hopes all Ghanaians will put the interests of the nation first. "Any disputes arising from the elections should be resolved through the appropriate judicial mechanisms afforded by the constitution,” he said. President Mahama won 50.70% of the vote to clinch the election. His main opponent Nana Akufo-Addo drew 47.74% but his New Patriotic Party (NPP) has challenge the results, alleging fraud. The NPP said after a crunch meeting that it would contest the results in the Supreme Court.