US Senate Calls For Restraint In Ghana's Poll

The US Senate Tuesday urged all participants in Ghana's electoral process to exhibit restraint in Thursday's run-off of the presidential election.

"It is only under such conditions and such atmosphere that Ghana can make the necessary and smooth transition from the current leadership to the newly-elected," it said in a statement signed by Senator James M. Inhofe and Jesse Helms, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"We hope and expect that it will be an election which is free, fair and transparent and that the outcome will clearly reflect the free expression of the will of the good people of Ghana," the senate said.

It congratulated Ghanaians for demonstrating their hopes and faith in democratic governance during the Parliamentary and Presidential election on 7 December.

"With characteristic patience and silent determination, they went to the polls to elect a new leadership. By their actions, the people of Ghana have proclaimed clearly and loudly to the world that they want to live their lives in peace under the rule of law."

The run-off will be between John Agyekum Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Vice President John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The two candidates between them polled about 93 percent of the votes but none won the constitutionally required 50 percent plus one vote.

Five other candidates who contested the first round of the presidential vote have thrown their weight behind the NPP candidate.