Early results from Thursday's presidential and parliamentary elections show that the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr John Agyekum Kufuor and the party's parliamentary candidates have taken an early lead.
They appear to be doing exceptionally well in the five per cent of provisional results so far released. And their performance cuts across the regions - Western, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Greater Accra and Eastern. They have cut deep into the territories of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo where Agriculture Minister Mr Joseph Owusu-Acheampong has lost his Berekum seat. Mr Richard Dornu-Nartey, Nii Adjei Boye Sekan, Interior Minister Nii Okaija Adamafio are the other casualties.
Mr John Mahama, Minister of Communications, however, retained his seat comfortably. The results so far show that the NDC and the NPP are the two dominant parties. The National Reform Party (NRP) led by Mr Goosie Tanoh has performed below par as it has barely made an impact in all the results declared so far. Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the NPP said they are encouraged by the results so far and confident of winning in the first round. "Results we have compiled so far from the various polling stations in Accra and from the regions indicate a lead for the NPP in both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
"Our morale even gets higher as the polling stations results come in. Currently we are not thinking of a second round anymore," he said. But the propaganda secretary of the NDC, Mr Quainor Mettle said it was too early to reach any conclusion on the trend of the results that have so far announced.
