Who is who?.... Too close to call at press time
At the time of going to press last Wednesday, the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections were still being sent to the collation centres with no clear picture emerging.
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The race appeared to be a keen contest between President John Dramani Mahama of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Sources close to both parties were still upbeat of carrying the day.
In line with the caution by the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Media Commission (NMC) that the media should not be declaring the results of the elections until they are certified by the EC, the Daily Graphic was not in the position of indicating the direction of the elections.
However, what was certain was the fact that any of the two leading contenders of the NDC and NPP could win the race.
That was so because the other candidates had so far not garnered any significant votes to pose any threat to the chances of the two contenders.
It was also not clear which of the sitting Members of Parliament will retain or lose their seats. But at the time of going to press, some big names were said to have lost out.
Last Wednesday’s election was generally peaceful, contrary to speculations of possible violence because of the build-up to the process. The process was, at some stages, characterised by disqualifications, legal battles, suspicions and name calling.
About 15.8 million voters were expected to exercise their franchise at about 29,000 polling stations to determine the next President for the country for the next four years.
The seven presidential candidates who contested the 2016 presidential election are President Mahama of the NDC, Nana Akufo-Addo of the NPP, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom of the , the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
The rest are Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Dr Edward Mahama of the People's National Convention (PNC) and the only independent candidate, Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah.
Although there were isolated cases of misunderstanding and violence the security agencies were swift to contain the situation.
Meanwhile, the John Mahama 2016 Campaign has urged supporters and sympathisers of the NDC to ignore and treat with contempt, claims by some radio and TV stations announcing who was leading the pack or winning the election based on polling station results that did not equate to a total of three constituencies.
“With the details we have from our Parallel Vote Tabulation, President John Dramani Mahama is in a comfortable lead, and we encourage all supporters to wait for the EC as it receives and releases the verified results to the media via its collation and media centres,” it said in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the campaign, Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari.
It urged the party’s supporters to remain calm as the ballots made their way to the constituency collation centres. It commended the voting public for the impressive turnout to vote for President Mahama yesterday.
The statement acknowledged the smooth and orderly voting process and the way voters comported themselves, despite some isolated incidents and delayed start of voting at a number of polling stations.
“We do also acknowledge the decision of the EC to extend voting in the Afram Plains South Constituency and the re-opening of the polls in the Jaman North Constituency today.
“We thank you for your confidence in the John Dramani Mahama administration and for your vote,” it stated.