“I wish to apologize on behalf of chiefs who got themselves involved in active partisan politics in the last elections.”  He noted that the pronouncements of some chiefs during the election campaign period had greatly affected the image of the chieftaincy institution.

Togbe Afede underlined the determination of his administration to re-build the scarred image, restore the reverence and the nobility.  He added that the NHC was going to work to enforce the royal code of ethics, developed as part of the image building process.

He said it was the goal of the leadership to make sure that high standards were set and urged all chiefs to desist from acts that could undermine their authority and create image problems for the institution.

It would be recalled that in the heat of the 2016 election campaign, some chiefs openly identified with and pledged their support and that of their subjects to certain political parties. Such chiefs, whose favored candidates lost the election had come under severe attacks and become objects of public ridicule. There had been reports that some of them had come under enormous pressure to abdicate.

Togbe Afede spoke of plans by the leadership of the NHC to attend meetings of all regional houses of chiefs to assist them to have better understanding of the new direction and to get everybody along.

He applauded everybody – the chiefs, political parties, the Electoral Commission, security agencies, media and civil society organizations for the credible conduct of the polls and the peaceful transition of power.