Kufuor Poised For Victory In Ghana's Run-off Election

Ghana's opposition presidential candidate, John Kufuor, has taken a commanding lead after Thursday's run off election, which was marred by intimidation and some violence.

With more than three quarters of the provisional results counted, Kufuor, of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is ahead of John Atta Mills, the vice-president and candidate of President Jerry Rawlings' governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Kwadwo Afari-Djan, confirmed Kufuor's lead. Asked if the NPP presidential candidate could be poised for victory, Afari-Djan replied: "Yes, yes, a picture like that is emerging ." He acknowledged that it would be difficult for Mills to catch up, though not all results are yet in.

Kufuor has won almost sixty percent of the provisional votes counted. Mills is trailing behind with forty percent. By mid afternoon on Friday, December 29, the Electoral Commission in the capital Accra said it expected all results in by nightfall, with perhaps an official declaration on Saturday.

Both presidential hopefuls pledged to accept the outcome of the election as long as it was free, fair and transparent. Twenty-four hours after the poll, Ghanaians are still wondering whether it could be thus classified.

The final race for the presidency has left a bitter taste for many, after a bruising campaign, which was both bad-tempered and ungentlemanly, with both sides trading insults and accusations. The atmosphere on Friday was rather sober as Ghanaians reflected on the events of election day.

Shortly after polls opened on Thursday, reports filtered through from different parts of the country of sporadic violence and incidents of intimidation at a number of polling stations. Rival opposition supporters blamed each other.

Others said unidentified men in military uniforms harassed polling and party officials, driving some away and destroying voting material. One opposition MP claimed he had been stabbed and two of his assistants shot.

Reluctant voters in the Ashanti Region, in the heart of Ghana and a stronghold of Kufuor, himself an Ashanti, said they had been put off going to the polls because of what they described as an unwarranted military presence on the streets.

The EC chairman condemned the violence and attempted disruption of polling, but said the extent had been exaggerated. "I always say even one act of electoral violence is to be deplored," said Afari-Djan, concluding that he was generally satisfied and the EC could congratulate itself on a normal polling day.

Contrary to reports on Thursday that turnout might be low in this decisive presidential run-off, Afari-Djan said this was not the case. More than sixty percent of the electorate in Ghana voted in round one on 7 December.

Kufuor has done better in the north this time, where he polled poorly in the first round presidential election, though his running mate Alhaji Aliu Mahama is a northerner. Observers attribute this slight advantage to support for the NPP from other opposition parties, which were eliminated after round one.

The NPP presidential candidate also made gains in the southwest, which is significant because Mills is a Fante from this region.

A senior NDC official acknowledged that trends in the results so far were not in the vice president's favour. The Mills camp was to hold a meeting in the afternoon.

More results were expected from the Volta region, home area of President Rawlings, which has always been loyal to the NDC in previous elections.

Whoever succeeds Rawlings, a former military leader who has served eight years as an elected president and is constitutionally barred from a third term, will swiftly have to convince Ghanaians that he is truly a president for all citizens and will govern without regional bias.