Nosike Ogbuenyi And Olawale Olaleye
8 December 2008
Accra — Piecemeal announcement of provisional results from some polling centres by Ghanaian television and radio stations showed the opposition National Democratic Party (NDC) taking the lead in yesterday's presidential election.
The party's presidential candidate is Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills, ex-President John Jerry Rawlings' VP who was defeated by out-going President John Agyekum Kufuor in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.
The NDC is ahead of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) whose candidate, Dr. Nana Akufo-Addo, is trailing closely.
Unlike in Nigeria where results are collated before they are announced, in Ghana the results are announced piecemeal on the spot at the polling centres in the presence of the agents of political parties, members of Press and voters.
Some of the areas where the early results have been announced are Volta Region, Northern, Asoase in Kumasi , Angloga, Ablekuma and Greater Accra.
Although some of these areas were said to be strongholds of NDC, the margin of lead the party has achieved against the NPP and other parties is wide.
This development has thrown the members and supporters of the NDC into cautious celebration.
If the trend is maintained, it means that the party of ex-president Jerry Rawlings, NDC, is coming back to power after it was upstaged by NPP in 2000.
Meanwhile, Nigeria 's former military Head of State and Chairman, ECOWAS Observer Team in Ghana , Gen. Yakubu Gowon, yesterday said with the successful conduct of Ghana 's general election, Nigeria "still has a lot to imbibe from Ghana 's electoral tradition".
The West African country has held successful democratic polls back-to-back since 1992.
Gowon, who said he visited about 16 polling centres (some centres had over four polling booths) in Accra, the nation's capital, maintained that except one was not prepared to learn, lessons could be picked up from anywhere provided such was meant for the overall good of the person or group involved.
"The chairman of the electoral commission here (Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan), I think, has been there for over 16 years and would be up until he is 70. So, he's done about five elections and he knows how to sort of get things done. And every time, he's learning and suggestions are being made to him on the preparations towards the elections and he gradually puts them into practice. He is certainly having a very successful election.
"But you can be sure that even if he falters, other parties would question his impartiality. But he is good. And I think he has been at his best and a very good job he has done. I think the Ghanaians should be congratulated because so far, as far as the election itself is concerned, it has been peaceful, orderly, enthusiastic and almost problem-free. So, with that one, we say, well done so far," he said.
Gowon, who spoke to THISDAY, said: "Let me say that so far, the election that is taking place today especially in places that I had my team, the ECOWAS observation team visited, has been at most, a pleasant one. It has been peaceful; it has been orderly and there has been a lot of understanding. Of course, you'll see members or representatives of the parties that you'll think would not see eye-to-eye, you see them standing close to each other, tapping each other on the shoulder, saying, 'my friend'. There has been no problem at all.
"This has been very pleasant. It is certainly very well attended and practically everywhere we went, the number we saw equated the number of registered voters. It was very impressive everywhere we went. We covered over 16 polling centres and were able to see the presiding officers and also spoke to the people, appreciating what they are doing by conducting a peaceful election," Gowon said.
Yesterday's election was believed to be generally peaceful with a high level of voters' turn out across the different parts of the country.
Reports from across the country indicated that voters had queued up for voting as early as 3am yesterday in some polling centres and by 7 in the morning, the queue everywhere in town was impressive. Election materials were reported to have arrived their destinations as early as 5am.
This year's election was believed to have witnessed a high turn-out because of the increased number of the aged voters who came out to vote, some thinking it would probably be their last time to be partakers in the democratic process.
It was also believed that the political parties were effective with mobilising supporters. In all, over 36,000 police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order during the exercise.
Meanwhile, Nigeria 's High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday shed more light on why the Nigerian government donated five Hilux Pick-up vehicles to the Ghanaian Electoral Commission, saying it was part of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's agenda to strengthen the existing bilateral ties between the two countries.
Obanikoro, who said the Nigerian/Ghana relations predated the independence of both countries, maintained that it was incumbent on the Nigerian government as a "brother" to show love and support at such a time that the country is undergoing a major democratic test.
The High Commissioner, who gave this clarification in a statement by Mrs. Bola Babafemi, Social Secretary in the High Commission, said the vehicles, which cost were put at over $200,000, was also an indication of Nigeria 's interest in the outcome of the election. The initiative is, however, considered the first in the history of Nigeria 's High Commission in Ghana .
Obanikoro, who was received by the Deputy Chairman of EC, Mr. David Kanga, also said Ghana would be making a democratic statement if it conducted the exercise successfully.
"We identify with Ghana during this election. Ghana has become a stable democracy and election observers might not have to come in future elections.
"President Yar'Adua of Nigeria is very interested in Ghana's election and this he has shown in concrete terms through the presentation of the vehicles which would be of help during and after tomorrow's poll," he said.
Responding, Kanga, who expressed the commission's gratitude for the gesture, said Ghana had learnt a lot from Nigeria.
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