30 December 2008
Thousands of supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) yesterday besieged the premises of the Electoral Commission (EC) after the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the NDC disagreed over the results of some constituencies in Ashanti region.
Media reports had earlier in the day put the Presidential Candidate of the NDC, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills ahead of the NPP's Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo based on certified results from some of the constituencies.
With 223 out of 230 constituency certified results declared so far, the law Professor leads with 4, 414, 419 votes representing 50.64%. His challenger, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo trails him with 4, 307,120 representing 49.36%.
Meanwhile, Issa Alhassan reports from Kumasi that Ashanti Region, widely known to be the stronghold of the ruling New Patriotic Party experienced an uneasy calm throughout yesterday, as results of the presidential run-off trickled in slowly via the various local radio stations.
Many residents, who until yesterday morning were very optimistic of the chances of the NPP, after the party recorded astronomical figures in certain polling stations in some constituencies in the metropolis, recoiled to their shelves in anxiety, as early results which trickled in from over 216 constituencies out of 230 indicated that the NDC flagbearer, Prof. Mills, was leading in popular votes.
Many residents continued to count their losses and ponder over the possibility that the ruling party may not be able to retain power.
Most of the constituents were shocked to see the NPP lose the elections to the opposition NDC, in the face of the huge electoral successes recorded at Manhyia, Bantama, Pankronu, Subin, Nhyiaeso, Asokwa and Suame constituencies.
Some of them, however, still remained cautiously optimistic considering the fact that there were a number of constituencies in the NPP's strongholds in both the Ashanti and Eastern Regions which were yet to be declared.
Planned events and programmes by sympathizers of the NPP to mark victory have thus been nipped in the bud, as shock is written all over the faces of constituents. Nationwide provisional results of the second round polls made public by radio stations in the city, as of Monday, placed Prof. Mills ahead in percentage and popular votes, a situation which is quite different from what was witnessed in the first round of the December 7 elections when Nana Akufo Addo was leading.
Whereas the NPP was recording impressive gains in some popular constituencies such as Manhyia, Subin and Asokwa constituencies, the NDC had also made significant improvement in the Volta, Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions, heightening fears and speculations of many residents that the National Democratic Congress might come back.
The Ashanti Region was identified as having held the key to NPP's victory in the second round of the elections, after the ruling party attributed its inability to record a first round victory to the low turn out of voters in the region. This compelled the ruling party to embark on an intensive house-to-house campaign dubbed "Fre Wo Nua", which literally means call your brother to go and vote on December 28.
While this campaign seem to have paid off, considering the increase of voting percentage from 73 to 83 percent respectively in the first and second round voting, the NDC once again put up a splendid performance in the NPP stronghold, resulting in the increase of percentage of votes for Prof. John Evans Attah Mills.
When The Chronicle stormed the city on Monday to interact with voters and seek their views on the outcome of the elections, most of them expressed shock at the turn of events, and brooded over what would become of them when the NPP fails to win.
A shop keeper at Adum, who gave his name as "Mugabe", said he felt let down and terrified about the unfolding events in the elections. "I felt very worried and terribly shocked when I heard results that were coming in and I asked myself how come the NPP failed to maintain its lead as happened in the first round."
Samuel Agbowode also reports from Ho that there were jubilations in the town as taxis and motorbikes tooted their horns to signify victory for the NDC, while others were spotted singing victory songs.
Earlier in the day, Ho remained calm as the results of the presidential run-off was being announced even though Prof. Atta Mills was ahead of Nana Akufo-Addo by a slim margin.
The situation in the Ho municipality was characterized with fear and anxiety, which saw business activities going on smoothly as some of the people quietly discussed the trend of the election with the fear that the NDC 's Prof. Mills would not win for the third time, while others were hopeful that this time the NDC would win.
Some of the people who expressed their views on the election results and the possible positions of the candidates said they were sure that the NDC would emerge the victor due to the fact that Mills was leading the race. A businessman, Mr. Joshua Narh, who spoke to The Chronicle, said the NDC Candidate would win at all cost because Prof. Mills had suffered for too long.
He continued that the Ho Township and the municipality remained quiet, due to the fact that the people would not like to start the jubilation at the time the out- come of the election still remained unclear as to who would become the next President of the country.
"You are a media man, just wait and see how we will jubilate after the declaration of the final results."
A teacher in Ho, Madam Theresa Kpeyibor, who also expressed the hope of the NDC winning the elections, said the party, after been given the mandate to govern the country, should be prepared to meet the socio-economic challenges confronting the country as a result of the world economic difficulties.
She, however, reminded the NDC that in case the party was given the opportunity to administer the affairs of the country, the party should be able to satisfy the needs of the people, as the expectations of the people were very high and anything short of that would be a disappointment to them.
Madam Kpeyibor noted that even though the supporters of the party would jubilate if the party wins the elections, they should understand that the presidency rotates and that when one party gets the chance to win the elections, then it requires more responsibility.
To her, all that was important was to ensure a peaceful environment that would promote economic activities to improve on the lives of the people.
Some of the people who pleaded anonymity said even if the NDC wins the election, it would not mean much to them unless they see some improvement in their socio economic lives, which would be better than what the NPP was doing.
They said, the most important aspect of elections was to promote development and anything short of that would not be tolerated, noting that Ghanaians should learn to vote, based on issues of development rather than ethnic, tribal and religious affiliations.
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