For the second time since her December 7, 2008 national election, Ghana has again failed to elect a new president even with the runoff held last Sunday.

Results in the Ashanti and Volta areas have been disputed, and the Tain constituency area of Brong Ahaso region, where the poll was delayed, will now vote on Friday.

The region was reportedly tensed throughout the period of the runoff and was therefore exempted from the exercise last Sunday.

By this development, it is unlikely that Ghana's constitutional swearing-in of presidents on January 7 would hold as scheduled.

Both Prof. John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Mr. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, candidate of the ruling party, New Patriotic Party (NPP) keenly contested the two previous elections, running neck-to-neck almost in all the constituencies.

And at the end of the runoff which came to a close yesterday, officials said the contest between the opposition's Atta Mills and ruling party's Akufo-Addo was so close one result could decide the outcome.

The BBC reported that further delay might heighten tensions.

NPP candidate Akufo-Addo gained the most votes in the first round earlier this month but did not pass the 50 per cent threshold needed for outright victory.
Electoral commission chairman Kwadwo Afari-Gyan said NDC candidate Atta Mills had won 50.13 per cent of the vote, while Akufo-Addo had polled  49.87 per cent.

This means just 23,055 votes divide the two candidates, out of a total cast of some 9 million.

"Results are so close that the result of the Tain constituency could affect the eventual winner," Afari-Gyan said.

He said the results covered all 230 constituencies, except Tain in the Brong Ahafo region, which was unable to vote on Sunday because of a problem with voting materials.

According to the Daily Guide newspaper, the ruling party had accused electoral officials in Tain of stealing about 1,820 ballot papers, which they claimed were given to the opposition.

The district has some 53,000 registered voters.

The privately-owned Joy FM radio station reported that during the first round of the vote in Tain earlier this month, 30,000 electors turned out and awarded a narrow victory to Atta Mills.

The commissioner, who has been stuck in behind-closed-doors wrangling with both parties in the capital Accra, said they would also use the delay to audit the disputed results.

The electoral commission head quarters was besieged for much of yesterday by thousands of NDC supporters demanding their candidate be declared the winner.
Armed police and soldiers backed by water cannon trucks and an armoured personnel carrier kept the protesters behind barricades and at one point fired warning shots.

As tensions rose, party officials handed out ice cream and water to the crowds to calm them down.

Atta Mills had earlier claimed victory, but the NPP said this was premature.

Shops closed early yesterday, with businessmen fearing that there could be looting once the result is announced.