Ghana: No president-elect yet

ACCRA, 30 December 2008 (IRIN) - Ghana's test as a model democracy in coup-wracked West Africa will be stretched over a few more days as election officials investigate fraud allegations and conduct a missed poll in one district.

Results from Ghana's 28 December presidential run-off were expected on 30 December but the head of the electoral commission said the outcome will be delayed for audits of disputed polls and the fresh vote set for 2 January.

Thousands of Ghanaians camped out overnight at the electoral commission headquarters in the capital Accra the eve of the expected announcement. Armed soldiers and police were out in force to control the crowds.

As of late 30 December, with counts from 229 of 230 constituencies, opposition candidate John Evans Atta Mills was leading with 50.13 percent against 49.87 percent for the ruling party candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, according to the national electoral commission. The margin is around 23,000 votes.

Voters number some 53,000 in the district set to hold a poll later this week.

Ghanaians are watching nervously, thinking not only of their new leader but also of the country's reputation at stake.

Teacher Yaw Ampong, 37, told IRIN: "For me the many reports of intimidation and allegations of vote rigging by both parties is worrying, especially because of the reputation we've carved for ourselves as an example of a world class democracy worth emulating."

Businesses in Accra shut down early on 30 December as people awaited results.

Many citizens say tensions surrounding the tight election have evoked last year's election violence in Kenya and recent coups d'état in Mauritania and Guinea.

A 40-year-old bus driver who gave his name as Steven said he hopes "politicians and citizens alike will take a cue from Kenya to avoid post-election violence."

"I am particularly concerned because listening to the international media on the coup d'état in Guinea I get the sense that the coup has the potential to destabilise the sub-region," he added.

He says on election day he told a number of his friends to avoid any act that might "make the country vulnerable to a situation as witnessed by the Guineans."

Ghana has seen an era of military coups but has been a stable democracy since the 1990s.

At Accra's central business district a market woman yelled: "We want peace. We want peace. Ghana is not Kenya!"

Despite some reports of poll disturbances in the presidential run-off observers have declared the election as largely fair and peaceful. The head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) observer mission ? former Nigerian president General Yakubu Gowon ? told the press the elections have been "free, fair and credible."

Upon releasing preliminary figures the head of the electoral commission, Kwadjo Afari Djan, announced that allegations of irregularities in the Ashanti and Volta regions are serious enough to warrant audits. He said the Tain district in the Brong Ahafo region will vote on 2 January; polls did not go forward there on 28 December because lingering tension between rival supporters was considered too explosive to hold a vote.

em/np