afrol News, 8 December - The first results of Sunday's presidential polls published by the Electoral Commission of Ghana show a small lead for the opposition candidate John Atta Mills, who heads the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of former ruler Jerry Rawlings. But the race remains tight.

Ghanaians are pegged to their radios or TVs as the election results are being published from the country's 230 precincts. So far, the electoral commission has counted 63 of the precincts, giving Mr Atta Mills a narrow lead with 48.98 percent of the counted vote.

But President John Kufuor's governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its candidate, former Foreign Minister Nana Akufo-Addo, is only narrowly behind. The latest count gives Mr Akufo-Addo 48.55 percent of the vote. The race therefore remains totally open.

President Kufuor, who turns 70 today, in a statement said he was happy the elections had been a success so far, commending Ghanaians for "comporting themselves" in the electoral process. According to him he will keep his fingers crossed and wait for the voting to end and the results declared before bursting into any excitement, adding that he was hopeful the electorate will elect his successor at the end of the elections.

Seven candidates presented themselves to Ghanaian voters, running for the presidency, as the model democracy also elects its parliamentary representatives. If current trends prevail, with none of the two principal candidates reach the 50 percent benchmark of the vote, a second round run-off election will be held on 28 December.

But both candidates say they are confident they will be able to gather more than 50 percent of the vote already in the first poll round. Opposition candidate Atta Mills said he would win the election "one touch" and added that he was happy for the progress of the electoral process, being "confident" the polls were free and fair.

The Chairman of the electoral commission, Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, said so far the exercise had been going on well. He urged voters, security agencies and the media, especially radio presenters, to be circumspect in their actions and pronouncements.

Ghana has emerged West Africa's model democracy after ex-Dictator Rawlings allowed for democratisation, which led to his candidate for the polls, Mr Atta Mills, losing to outgoing President Kufuor two times. Mr Kufuor has been hailed for doing his utmost to strengthen Ghana's democratic institutions.

Today, Ghanaians take big pride in their well-functioning democracy, which they hold represents a valuable African asset and model that contrasts the otherwise negative news emerging from countries such as Zimbabwe.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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