The Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has expressed the hope that God will once again bless Ghana with a peaceful election next year despite the heating up of the political temperature. He, therefore, rejected the suggestion by some political leaders that next year's election would be characterised by violence. “We will have a successful election and God Himself will decide who will win,” he said to a thunderous applause at a nondenominational thanksgiving service organised by Aglow International at the Independence Square in Accra on Saturday. The programme, dubbed “Celebrating the Goodness of God, 2011 Aforebo Kese” and held on the theme: “Oh, that Ghana would give thanks to the Lord for His Goodness and His Wonderful Works”, was the climax of the Aglow's monthly intercessory prayers for Ghana. It was attended by about 6,000 women from all the 10 regions of Ghana. Mr Mahama said Ghana had enjoyed relative peace over the years because of God's divine blessing on the country. He noted that several countries in Africa and other parts of the world had witnessed wars and conflicts leading to loss of lives and property and mentioned the recent Arab incident as an example. However, the Vice-President said God had spared Ghana such conflicts because of the continuous intercessory and thanksgiving prayers by all religious faiths in the country. “God has blessed us. We must learn to count our blessing,” he said. Mr Mahama said “Ghana is bigger than all of us” and therefore the country would continue to be around even years after the election. He, therefore, urged political leaders to “watch their words” and refrain from defaming their political opponents. The Vice-President said since adopting a new constitution which ushered in Ghana as a democratic country, the nation had enjoyed relative peace. As a result, he said, Ghana was held high as a model of democracy in Africa and the world at large. Mr Mahama commended Aglow for sustaining their prayers and bringing people from all ethnic groups to demonstrate the unity in diversity in the country. The National Prayer Director of Aglow, Mrs Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, who led the prayers, prayed for peace and tranquillity before, during and after next year's election.