Ghana will tomorrow go to the polls to elect another President and 275 Parliamentarians to administer the affairs of the country for the next four years. About 15million voters, out of the 27million population are said to have registered for the election, which observers believe, is the most “tension-soaked” in the history of the 59 year-old West African country. Ghana runs a uni-cameral legislature. Since 1992 when Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings handed over power to Mr. John Agyekum Kuffour, there have been peaceful transitions of power between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the largest opposition party, New Patriotic Party (NPP). Rawlings ruled for 11 years as Military Head of State after which he shed his military uniform, formed the NDC and contested as its flag bearer, won and ruled for eight years of two terms each before his party lost to Kuffour in 2000.
Kuffour ruled for eight years of two terms under the platform of the NPP but his party lost to the NDC in 2008. Prof. Fifiifi Arthur Mills defeated Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, the flag bearer in the election with a narrow margin in the 2008 election.
Arthur Mills passed on few months to the end of his tenure in 2012. His Deputy, John Dramani Mahama was sworn-in to complete his (Mills) tenure after which he contested against Akuffo-Addo and won. He is seeking re-election.
Seventeen Presidential candidates filled forms to contest the election. But the country’s electoral body, Electoral Commission (EC), for various reasons disqualified 10 of them.
Full Article: Ghana Goes to Tension-Soaked Election Tomorrow – allAfrica.com.
