Accra, Dec. 28, GNA - Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Sunday expressed the hope that the December 28 Presidential Election Runoff, would build on the victory chalked out by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 7 general election.
He said he was surprised that the NPP did not net a one-touch victory on December 7, but stressed that that, "this time round Ghanaians are in the process of electing a leader for the country and that leader is Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo".
Alhaji Mahama, who was in the company of his wife Hajia Ramatu, made this known to journalists when he cast his vote at the Civil Servants' Training School, which falls under the La-Dadekotopon Constituency in Accra.
"This time round Nana Akufo-Addo will prevail and NPP will emerge as winners," he said.
Alhaji Mahama complained about the low voter turn-out in
parts of the Metropolis and expressed the hope that the trend
would change before the close of the day. The run-off contest is between Nana Akufo-Addo of the NPP
and Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic
Congress (NDC), due to their inability to secure the mandated 51
per cent. Nana Akufo-Addo recorded 49.13 per cent while Professor
Mills had 47.92 per cent. Ghanaians are expected to turnout in their numbers to exercise
their franchise in the 230 constituencies and 21,004 polling
stations. Polling started at 0700 hours and would continue until 1700
hours. The first results are expected late on Sunday night or early
on Monday morning. The Electoral Commission expects the
results to be declared within 48 hours. Election 2008 Presidential Runoff, considered as historic,
would lead to the second uninterrupted handover of power by an
elected leader to another elected leader in the country's 51-year
political history. It is the fifth successive multi-party elections under the Fourth
Republic. Former President Jerry Rawlings, who transformed
himself from a military leader into a democratically elected
president in 1992 on the ticket of the NDC, served his full two
terms. His term of office ended on January 6, 2001. President John Agyekum Kufuor, who won the presidency on
the ticket of the NPP, would be the second Ghanaian elected
leader to hand over to another elected leader. Seven political parties and an independent candidate contested
for the single presidential slot.
