The Ghana presidential race hardly could be closer. The following is verbatim from an announcement posted by the Electoral Commission:
The winner of 2008 Presidential Election Runoff would be determined after voting in the Tain Constituency on Friday, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) announced in Accra on Tuesday. Speaking at a news conference, Dr Afari-Gyan said mathematically the results from the constituency could affect the outcome of the Runoff because the number of voters in the constituency was more than the difference between Professor John Evans Atta Mills of National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He announced that the results from 229 out of the 230 constituencies that have been certified by the EC, gave Prof Mills 4,501,466 votes representing 50.13 per cent of total valid votes cast while Nana Akufo-Addo garnered 4,478,411 votes representing 49.87 per cent. Thus the difference of 23,055 votes could not give Prof Mills the presidency since the number of voters in the Tain constituency was more than the figure. Prof Mills won in the Tain constituency during the 2008 General Election. He obtained 16,211 votes, representing 50.7 per cent, while Nana Akufo-Addo got 14,935 votes representing 46.8 per cent.
Another page of the ECG website confirms the legislative result: NDC 114, NPP 107 (out of 228 total). Votes totals for congress do not appear to be posted.
Given that Atta Mills won a majority in this district in the first round, it appears likely that the result will indeed be partisan alternation, rather than divided government.
Craig Murray has made his The Catholic Orangemen of Togo available as a free download. He discusses the 200 election in Ghana and the transition to democracy. It’s a good description and in places very funny.
Seed planted by Alan — 15 January 2009 @ 09:13