Subject: DEMOCRACY ROARS IN AFRICA: NO CLEAR WINNER IN GHANA'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
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STAKES ARE HIGH: GHANA ANXIOUSLY WAITS.
By Evelyn Joe
On December 7, 2016, voters in the nation of over 28 million went to the polls to choose who will lead the country in the next four years and members of parliament to serve in the 275 constituencies.
Mrs. Charlotte Osei is the Ghanaian Electoral Commissioner and first woman to serve in that capacity since independence .
Upheld as one of Africa's most stable democracies, Ghana has earned its reputation for peaceful and fair elections after the military rule. This year, in a departure from decorum, the leading opposition party of Mr. Nana Dankwa Akufo-Addo called on incumbent President John Dramani Mahama to concede before the results were announced. In response, Mr. Mahama's campaign described the move as "treasonable" and irresponsible with the potential to threaten national peace."
Despite its best efforts, unable to control the narrative, the Electoral Commission used its twitter account to denounce what it terms as "fake" results springing up in numerous sites. " The duty we owe the people of Ghana is not to declare results quickly but to declare accurate results that reflect will of the ppl," the commission tweeted. THE ELECTION BOSS CLARIFIES |
| | | Meet the Seven Candidates in this short video. |
REMATCH OF OLD FOES
The presidential race, expected to be close, pits incumbent President John Dramani Mahama, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and veteran opposition leader, Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). President Mahama, 58, was vice-president under President John Atta Mills, who died in 2012. He completed his term and now seeks re-election after serving his first term of four years. He was a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2009 and Minister of Communications from 1998 to 2001. His father, Mr. Emmanuel Adama Mahama, was the first Member of Parliament for the West Gonja Constituency and the first Regional Commissioner of the Northern Region during Ghana's First Republic.
Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, 72, is a former Justice Minister - Attorney General (2001-2003) and Foreign Minister (2003-2007) in the NPP government led by former President John Kufour. He is aiming for the presidency in his third run to lead Ghana. His father, Mr. Edward Akufor-Addo, was the third Chief Justice of Ghana and later ceremonial President of the Republic from 1969 to 1972.
In 2012, Mr. Akufo-Addo lost to Mr. Mahama in a hotly contested election. The current President received over 50 percent of the vote and Mr. Akufo-Addo alleged fraud. The case was brought to the Supreme Court, which ruled in Mr. Mahama's favor.
| | | Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings |
Four other candidates from smaller parties and an Independent are also on the ballot, which includes Ghana's first physically challenged contender and former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the wife of former President Jerry Rawlings.
FLAGGING DOWN FAKE RESULTS The Electoral Commission of Ghana (ECG) has called on voters and the public to disregard a result being shared on social media showing the opposition leader with 53% of the vote. The commission also stated that voting has been extended in Afram Plains South constituency and is still on-going in Jaman North constituency on Thursday.
In a statement posted on its Twitter handle, the ECG described the results shared in the media as fake. "This is fake!!!! This is fake!!!! This is not from the EC. Disregard completely!!!!
"Update: NO official results have been declared by the EC. No final constituency results are in. There is no declared winner yet. The EC undertook a hugely successful election yesterday. Let us trust the process for the results. We will keep you updated minute by minute."
"No final results can be declared until Jaman North has had the privilege of voting today. We call upon the people of Ghana to respect the process and keep faith with the EC. Results will be out as soon as they are available. At a media briefing in Accra Thursday, ECG Chairperson, Ms Charlotte Osei, said the Commission will not be compelled to declare results of the Wednesday elections when the established procedures have not been exhausted. She explained the Commission is yet to receive all the results from the 275 Constituencies in the country. CLAMORING FOR VICTORY Meanwhile, the two dominant parties, the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) have respectively claimed victory in the presidential poll without the announced results by the ECG. The opposition NPP was first to hold a Press Conference to predict over 53 percent win for Mr. Nana Akufo-Addo, who said he is "quietly confident" to have won in a "famous and historic victory." The NDC countered with its own Press Conference, discrediting the figure put out by the NPP. It also, in other instances, insisted it is winning but will not declare victory for President John Mahama because the Commission has asked for 72 hours for the announcement of the winner. If no candidate gets a majority of the vote, the top two candidates will face off in a run-off. |
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