Running mates, First Ladies cast ballots
A number of running mates on Wednesday cast their ballots at their respective polling centres in the national exercise to elect a new crop of leaders for the country. They include the running mates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Vice-President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur; the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia; and the National Democratic Party (NDP), Mr Kojo Mensah Sosuh.
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Sebastian Syme reports from ACCRA that Vice-President Amissah-Arthur cast his ballot at the Accra High School polling station at the Klottey Korley Constituency at exactly 11:37 a.m. and expressed satisfaction with the smooth process.
It took him less than two minutes to cast his vote as the polling station was without queues as of the time he got there.
Of the 460 registered voters in the polling station, 203 people had cast their vote as of 11:40 a.m.
Speaking to journalists, Mr Amissah-Arthur mentioned how impressed he was with the voting process and expressed confidence that the entire country would witness a smooth voting exercise.
The Vice President, Amissah- Arthur casting his vote
He commended the electoral officials for supervising the exercise devoid of hiccups and advised the media to be circumspect in their reportage to safeguard the country’s peace.
The Vice-President expressed optimism that Ghana would come out of the polls stronger and united to further consolidate its name as a shining star on the African continent.
Asked how confident he was about the outcome of the polls, Mr Amissah-Arthur said, “I am very confident of victory looking at what we have done in the last four years.”
Zadok Kwame Gyesi also reports from WALEWALE that Dr Bawumia cast his ballot in this year's election at the Kperiga Presbyterian Junior High School (JHS) at the Walewale Constituency in the Northern Region.
He was the 152nd person to vote at the polling station at about 9:49 a.m.
Dr Bawumia, who was dressed in a red, black and ash smock, was accompanied to the polling station by some party executives and family members, including his wife, Hajia Samiratu Bawumia, and his mother.
In an interview with the media after casting his ballot, Dr Bawumia expressed the hope that NPP would emerge victorious at the polls.
He has, therefore, called on the party's supporters to remain calm and comport themselves during the process, stating that God would put smiles on the faces of the NPP supporters after the polls.
Dr Bawumia also called on the electoral officials to allow the will of the people to prevail in this year's election. Four hundred and ninety six voters were expected to cast their ballots at the Kperiga Presby A polling station.
Dr. Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia getting ready to cast his vote
Caroline Boateng reports that Mr Sosuh yesterday cast his ballot at about 10: 25 a.m. at the Clinic West Legon polling station at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.
He was taken through the processes of identification and verification before casting his ballot for the presidential and parliamentary candidates.
Later in a brief interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Sosuh said he was so far satisfied with the turn of events and the peaceful manner in which polling was going on.
He expressed the hope of his party winning, but said in the event that they lost, if there was nothing to suggest that the votes had been tampered with, the party would meet and give a response.
Mr Sosuh who was also registered as an observer subsequently went round other polling stations in his constituency, including polling stations at Dome Kwabenya, to observe how voting was going on there.
There are 64,853 registered voters in the 188 polling stations in the Walewale Constituency.
First/second ladies
Meanwhile, some prospective first ladies and second ladies went with their husbands to cast their votes at yesterday’s polls.
Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the wife of Nana Akufo-Addo, voted alongside her husband at the Rock of Ages Academy 'B' Polling Station, near his residence at Kyebi in the Abuakwa South Constituency of the Eastern Region. They were accompanied by their daughters who also cast their votes at the same polling station.
Hajia Samiratu Bawumia, the wife of the running mate of the NPP, voted alongside her husband at the Kperiga Presby B polling station in the Walewale Constituency in the Northern Region after going through the manual verification process.
Mrs Yvonne Nduom, the wife of the Presidential Candidate of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, also cast her vote along with her husband at the SSNIT polling station of the Komenda-Edna-Eguafo-Abrem Constituency in the Central Region.
However, the current First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, and the Second Lady, Mrs Matilda Amissah-Arthur, were not in the company of their husbands. They cast their votes in their respective polling stations.
Mrs Mahama cast her vote at the Cantonments polling station at the La Dadekotopon Constituency in Accra at about 10:30 a.m.
First Lady Lordina Mahama in action
Mrs Amissah-Arthur voted at the Christ the King International School in Accra. Speaking to the media after voting, she said she believed that the NDC would emerge victorious after the election.
A former First Lady, Ernestina Naadu Mills, also cast her vote at the Regimanuel Gray Estates Golden Gate polling station in the Ledzokuku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Maurice Quansah reports. The wife of the late President John Evans Atta Mills arrived at the polling station, located close to her Regimanuel Gray Estates residence, at 9:45 a.m. and was allowed to go through the verification process without hassle. She looked very cheerful as the Presiding Officer, Stephanie Okyere, assisted her to check her name and go through the process until she voted. The former first lady spent a few minutes afterwards to chat with some neighbours and friends, after which she said goodbye to the electoral officers and agents, stating, “I wish you the best of the day,” before being driven back to her residence.