John Dramani Mahama declared winner of Ghana poll
The leading opposition party alleges it has evidence of vote rigging in knife-edge election
President John Dramani Mahama has been declared the winner of a closely fought poll, but the opposition is claiming fraud in a nation that is seen as a model of African democracy.
The electoral commission announced the result on Sunday after a day of twists and turns linked to the vote on Friday and Saturday, with the stakes especially high in a country with a booming economy fuelled partly by newly discovered oil.
Even before the declaration, results compiled by media had pointed to a Mahama win, leading the opposition to strongly reject them, alleging fraud and claiming it had evidence that its candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, was the real winner.
According to the electoral commission, Mahama won with 50.70 per cent of the votes cast, compared to Akufo-Addo's 47.74 per cent. With eight candidates in the race, more than 50 per cent was needed to avoid a second-round run-off.
"I call on all leaders of all political parties to respect the voice of the people," Mahama said in a victory speech in which he also urged restraint in celebrations and said he was overwhelmed. "The voice of the people is the voice of God."
Akufo-Addo's New Patriotic Party (NPP) said in a statement that the results announced "by the evidence do not reflect the mandate of the required majority of the Ghanaian electorate".
Party officials would meet today to decide the way forward, it said.