Some Ghanaians are expressing
frustration and disappointment after the chairman of the Independent Electoral
Commission deferred declaring the winner of Sunday's election run-off citing no
vote in one constituency.
Voters
in Tain constituency in the Brong Ahafo region didn't vote last Sunday because
the electoral commission postponed voting there citing difficulties in
delivering electoral materials to the area. Commission chair Kojo Afari Djan
said the difference in overall votes between the ruling New Patriotic Party and
opposition National Democratic Congress is narrow. He added that results from
the Tain constituency could determine which political party wins the run-off
election.
Anna
Tetteh is the communications director for the opposition NDC. She tells
reporter Peter Clottey from Ghana's capital, Accra that the opposition is
confident of victory.
"It
is quite clear from the results so far declared by the electoral commissioner
that professor Mills is in the lead. That notwithstanding, we have issues with
some from the results in the Ashanti region because we believe that the figures
are just inflated in such ways that are not possible. For instance how could
you have in Bamtama constituency and Suame constituency and in Tafo
constituency, voter turnout of 92 to 95 percent? I mean it doesn't happen
anywhere in the world in a credible election," Tetteh pointed out.
She
said the opposition NDC has evidence of voter irregularities in some of the
ruling party strongholds.
"We
have challenged these results by bringing the results from the polling
stations. We think that after all of these have been gone through, we are in
the lead and it would show that quite clearly professor Mills has won the
election," she said.
Tetteh
described as next to impossible for ruling party to win the Tain constituency
election, which is to be held Friday.
"In
order for the ruling party to win the presidency, they would have to win at
least 30 thousand votes in Tain, and we would have to get zero. Whatever the
outcome of the election in Tain whether we win or we lose we still believe that
professor Mills is going to be in the lead and would be the next president,"
Tetteh noted.
She
said the NDC is sure of victory on Friday.
"Assuming
that professor Mills even had only 10 thousand votes and they manage to carry
20 thousand votes, professor Mills would still be the winner of this election.
The only reason why the election is so close is because of the problems that
have happened in the voting in the Ashanti region because Nana Addo has over a
million votes, which is about 25 to 30 percent of the votes that we received
from the Ashanti region. And we have said that there were a series of
irregularities in the Ashanti region. That notwithstanding, professor Mills is
still in the lead and we are quite confident that we will win this election,"
she said.
Meanwhile,
the ruling party has condemned earlier media projections of an opposition win
saying it is not yet over for the party ahead of Friday's special election.
Kwaku
Baako, editor-in-chief of the Crusading Guide news paper tells reporter Peter
Clottey that Ghanaians should be proud of their democratic process.
"I
would concede that some Ghanaians as you said are let down or disappointed.
There are some who in spite of the fact that there was not a declared winner
for that matter we don't have a president-elect are still jubilating. So, there
is a mixed reaction out there, but I believe that majority of Ghanaians would
have loved even at the first ballot to have had a winner declared. How much
more a second ballot without a winner? And I think this is unique and it is
unprecedented," Baako pointed out.
He
said tensions have significantly subsided after the chairman of the electoral
commission explained to Ghanaians the next line of action.
"I
believe that the results announced by the electoral commission will lead to
relative reduction of tension. The NDC supporters and some of their leaders
were crying foul suspecting that the electoral commission was about to rig the
elections in favor of the incumbent party. Some people on the side of the
incumbent party have said all sorts of things about having won. So, yes there
was that level of mutual tension," he said.
Baako
said the pendulum of victory could swing either way following Friday's special
election.
"Interestingly,
this is just restricted to one particular constituency in the Brong Ahafo
region. I have heard a lot of people making all sorts of analysis. In the first
round the NDC won that particular constituency, but why the electoral
commission was unable to determine the winner today in spite of the fact that
professor Mills led the ballot with some 23 thousand votes is that out there
are 53 thousand voters who could change their minds or stand where they stand.
So, technically, and theoretically there is no way the electoral commission
could have determined a winner. Anything can happen in an election, but as to
how they would go about it we don't know," Baako pointed out.
Meanwhile, out of the 229 constituencies, Prof Atta Mills of the main
opposition NDC polled 4,501,466 representing 50.13 per cent of the total vote
cast, with the ruling NPP polling 4,478,411 representing 49.87 per cent.
According to electoral
commission records, the Tain constituency has a total of 52,890 voters. But with the results of the run-off election
declared so for, the opposition NDC leads with just over 23 thousand votes.
This has prompted some political analysts to say that the opposition stands a
better chance of winning the Tain constituency after the NDC won over 50
percent of the votes cast in the December 7 general election. But the ruling
party claimed it would leave no stone unturned to
win adding that the party continue to preach its message
of hope to the people in the Tain constituency in order for them to rally
behind the party.