Public anxious to know who is next President
The delay in the declaration of the final results of the 2016 General Election has created apprehension among members of the public with many people staying glued to their radio and television sets in anticipation of the announcement of the results.
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While some people monitored the declaration of the election results from the radio sets on their mobile phones, others could not take their eyes off their television sets which telecast results from the various constituencies as they trickled in.
Others were also seen in groups discussing the released provisional results. Many blamed the Electoral Commission (EC) for the delay in announcing the certified results and for particularly delaying in declaring the winner of the presidential race.
At Odorkor, Darkuman, Aslyum Down, Kaneshie Market Complex and Nkrumah Interchange area, all in Accra and in the Accra central business district, shop owners, drivers and even some commuters were seen with small radio sets or earpieces connected to their mobile phones listening to the news on the results of last Wednesday’s national polls.
So far, the media houses have all focused their attention on the collation of results. For radio and television, the segments have been interspersed with discussions and interviews on the election.
When the EC held a news conference late afternoon yesterday, it was the expectation of many that it was going to declare the results, particularly the winner of the presidential election, but that did not happen, to the disappointment of all.
A mechanic at Darkuman, Samuel Addo, who was carrying a small radio set, said he did not understand why the EC was delaying with declaring the election results.
“The delay is causing tension in the country,” he said, adding, “I listened to the radio before the election, during the election and after the election and now the comments people are making, when interviewed, are not the best. It shows there is tension.”
A number of people were also seen gathered in a kiosk at Asylum Down, watching television, and discussing the provisional results which were being announced.
The shop owner, Dominic Antah, said: “The EC does not need too much time to collate and announce the final results. From the constituency collation centres, the district election officers transmit the results to the EC Head Office and the EC can, in a matter of minutes, certify those results and release them, after which the winner could be announced.”
Be calm
The delay has led to, especially, the two main political parties holding news conferences to claim victory in the presidential election.
The EC had earlier urged political parties to desist from declaring the results of the election.
The EC Director of Electoral Services, Mr Samuel Tettey, addressing a news conference in Accra at dawn yesterday, urged the public to remain calm as they awaited the election results.