2012 Ghanaian general election

General elections were held in Ghana on Friday 7 December 2012 to elect a president and members of Parliament in 275 electoral constituencies.[1] Owing to the breakdown of some biometric verification machines, some voters could not vote, and voting was extended to Saturday 8 December 2012.[2] A run-off was scheduled for 28 December 2012 if no presidential candidate received an absolute majority of 50% plus one vote. Competing for presidency were incumbent president John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), his main challenger Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and six other candidates.[3]

2012 Ghanaian general election

7–8 December 2012
Presidential election
Turnout79.43%
 
Nominee John Mahama Nana Akufo-Addo
Party NDC NPP
Popular vote 5,574,761 5,248,898
Percentage 50.70% 47.74%

Results by region

President before election

John Mahama
NDC

Elected President

John Mahama
NDC

Parliamentary election

All 275 seats in Parliament
138 seats needed for a majority
PartyLeader % Seats +/–
NPP Nana Akufo-Addo 47.51 122 +15
NDC John Mahama 46.41 148 +32
CPP Samia Nkrumah 0.73 1 0
PNC Hassan Ayariga 0.66 1 -1
Independents 2.50 3 -1
Speaker before Speaker after
Joyce Bamford-Addo
Independent
Edward Adjaho
NDC

Incumbent president John Mahama was declared winner of the presidential contest with 50.7% of the vote, just a few thousand votes over the threshold for avoiding a run-off election. Nana Akufo-Addo received 47.74%.[4] The opposition alleged tampering with results by the Electoral Commission (EC),[5] and filed a petition at the Ghanaian Supreme Court to review the election results. The NPP produced more than 11,000 so-called "pink sheets" to the judges who had to compare them to similar papers from the EC, NDC and possibly other parties. These pink sheets state the results as counted in single polling stations, before aggregating them to any higher level, such as municipality, district and region. The NPP claimed that there were differences between the results as stated immediately after their counting in polling stations, and those which were used in aggregations, and that this can be proven by the pink sheets. In a separate part of the procedure, the EC was challenged to prove that 14,000 expat Ghanaians had voted abroad, and failed to produce any registered voters in foreign countries due to, so EC, the fatal work of a virus in its computer. The election petition led to great changes in the electoral system that helped ensure a high level of transparency in the voting system and collation of the results.

Mahama was elected to a full term less than five months as president having succeeded John Atta Mills, who died suddenly in office in July 2012.[6]

Preparations

Biometric voters registration

The Electoral Commission of Ghana successfully held a biometric system of registration for the electorate from 24 March 2012 to 5 May 2012. The move was aimed to prevent double registration and to eliminate ghost names in the old register.[7][8][9]

Electoral demarcations

Controversially, 45 additional constituencies were added to the 230 of the 2008 general election.[10] Voting therefore took place in a total of 275 constituencies and 26002 polling stations.

Monitoring

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) trained election observers and deployed 4000 of them to monitor the elections nationwide.[11][12]

Observers from ECOWAS Observer Mission led by former Nigerian president, General Olusegun Obasanjo also monitored the elections. The mission noted the technical glitches caused by faulty biometric machines but added that it had not undermined the fairness and transparency of the election.[13]

Pre-election controversy

There have been accusations against the media for not covering the election in a fair manner after a media have projected that the main opposition.[14]

Following the death of incumbent President John Atta Mills amid concerns for the election, leader of the Electoral Commission of Ghana Kwadwo Afari-Gyan said that "the election calendar remains unchanged—it's purely a party matter" and the National Democratic Congress had to decide whom to nominate as its new candidate.[6]

The main talking point following the close of nominations was the disqualification of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, leader of the newly formed National Democratic Party. This was due to errors in the documentation presented to the Electoral Commission.[15]

Presidential candidates

Eight candidates were on the ballot.[3]

PartyCandidate NameReligionDate of BirthHometown and RegionHighest Educational QualificationInstitutionPresent or Last EmployerPositionProfessionMarital Status
People's National ConventionHassan AyarigaMuslim4 September 1972Bawku, Upper East RegionEx. Masters in Governance and LeadershipGraduate School of Governance and LeadershipClean Up GhanaManaging DirectorAccountancyMarried
National Democratic CongressJohn Dramani Mahama Christian29 November 1958Bole, Northern RegionPost Graduate DegreeUniversity of GhanaGovernment of GhanaPresident of the Republic of GhanaCommunications/mediaMarried
Progressive People's PartyPapa Kwesi Nduom Catholic15 February 1953Elmina, Central RegionPHDUniversity of WisconsinFirst National Savings and Loans CompanyCEOManagement consultantMarried
New Patriotic PartyNana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Christian29 March 1944Kyebi, Eastern RegionBsc. EconUniversity of GhanaGovernment of GhanaMinister for Foreign AffairsLegal practitionerMarried
Convention People's PartyMichael Abu Sakara Foster Christian15 August 1958Mankuna, Northern RegionDoctor of PhilosophyUniversity of ReadingUnknownExecutive DirectorAgronomistMarried
United Front PartyAkwasi Addai OdikeChristian13 September 1964Adwumakase Kese, Ashanti Region'O' LevelAduman Secondary SchoolOdike VenturesCEOBusinessmanMarried
Independent CandidateJacob Osei Yeboah Christian28 October 1968Atonsu, Nsuta, Ashanti RegionMBAUniversity of WarwickVital Source LimitedDirector for West AfricaEngineering consultantMarried
Great Consolidated Popular PartyHenry Herbert Lartey Christian5 February 1954Osu, Greater Accra RegionMBA Economics and FinanceUniversity of BathUnknownExecutive DirectorFinance, agriculture, and international tradeSingle

Running mates

The following eight candidates have been approved by their parties and the Electoral Commission of Ghana as running mates of the above listed presidential candidates for the election on 7 December 2012.[16]

PartyCandidate NameSexProfession
People's National ConventionHelen Sanorita Dzatugbe MatreviFBilingual translator
National Democratic CongressKwesi Amissah-Arthur MEconomist
Progressive People's PartyEva Lokko FEngineer
New Patriotic PartyMahamudu Bawumia MEconomist
Convention People's PartyNana Akosua Frimpomaa FSocial activist
United Front PartyFred Osei AgyenMAgriculturist
Independent CandidateKelvin Nii Tackie MBusiness executive
Great Consolidated Popular PartyJohn Amekah MRetired educationist

Results

President

CandidateRunning matePartyVotes%
John Dramani MahamaKwesi Amissah-ArthurNational Democratic Congress5,574,76150.70
Nana Akufo-AddoMahamudu BawumiaNew Patriotic Party5,248,89847.74
Paa Kwesi NduomEva LokkoProgressive People's Party64,3620.59
Henry Herbert LarteyJohn AmekahGreat Consolidated Popular Party38,2230.35
Ayariga HassanHelen Sanorita Dzatugbe MatreviPeople's National Convention24,6170.22
Michael Abu Sakara FosterNana Akosua FrimpomaaConvention People's Party20,3230.18
Jacob Osei YeboahKelvin Nii TackieIndependent15,2010.14
Akwasi Addai OdikeFred Osei AgyenUnited Front Party8,8770.08
Total10,995,262100.00
Valid votes10,995,26297.76
Invalid/blank votes251,7202.24
Total votes11,246,982100.00
Registered voters/turnout14,158,89079.43
Source: Electoral Commission of Ghana

Parliament

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
New Patriotic Party5,248,86247.51122+15
National Democratic Congress5,127,67146.41148+32
Progressive People's Party182,6491.6500
Convention People's Party81,0090.7310
People's National Convention72,6180.661–1
National Democratic Party33,8570.3100
Inter-Party Cooperation15,5610.1400
United Front Party3,3220.0300
Democratic People's Party3,0130.0300
New Vision Party1,2320.0100
United Renaissance Party8400.0100
Independent People's Party6790.0100
Great Consolidated Popular Party6530.0100
Yes People's Party1450.0000
United Renaissance Party1400.0000
Ghana Freedom Party770.0000
Independents275,7812.503–1
Total11,048,109100.00275+45
Valid votes11,048,10998.41
Invalid/blank votes178,2431.59
Total votes11,226,352100.00
Registered voters/turnout15,031,68074.68
Source: Electoral Commission of Ghana

Reaction

The non-partisan Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) all declared that the elections were, for the most part, free and fair.[17] Despite this, there were still widespread allegations of voting irregularities, though these were dismissed as unsubstantiated by the electoral commission chairman. As a result of these claims, the New Patriotic Party immediately rejected the results upon their release[17] and its candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, remarked that his party's leaders would be meeting on 11 December to consider their options, one of which is to contest the results by lodging an appeal in court.[18] Violent opposition was however ruled out.[17]

African Union commission chairman Thomas Yayi flew to Ghana to meet with the two men.[17] He was also reported to have congratulated Mahama on his victory, and charged him to preside over an all-inclusive government.[19] Yayi praised the conduct and the participants of the election.[19]

In anticipation of petitions regarding the election, Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood has established two public complaints secretariats to swiftly process such concerns.[20]

In a statement after being declared the victor, Mahama gave a reconciliatory message, saying "I wish to welcome my fellow candidates to join me now as partners in the project of nation building and of creating a better Ghana".[21]

See also

References

  1. "Regional Distribution of 275 Constituencies". Electoral Commission of Ghana. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  2. "Ghana election: Voting enters second day". BBC. 8 December 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  3. "Profile of 2012 Presidential Candidates". Official website. Electoral Commission of Ghana. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  4. "Ghana election: John Mahama declared winner". BBC News. 10 December 2012.
  5. "Ghana's Mahama wins election, opposition cries foul". Reuters. 9 December 2012.
  6. "Ghana swears in Mahama as new president". Al Jazeera. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  7. "Pre-election in Ghana". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  8. "Compilation of Biometric Register Begins March 24". General news. Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  9. "Ghana Think". Ghana Think. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  10. "Controversy Over the Creation OF 45 New Constituencies". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  11. "CODEO to deploy observers for 2012 elections". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  12. "CODEO Ready To Observe Election 2012". Ghana Web. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  13. "Electoral Challenges Has Not Undermined Election Process—Obasanjo Observes". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  14. "Ghana: John Mahama declared election winner". The Daily Telegraph. London. 9 December 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  15. "Nana Konadu's Presidential dream crashed". General news. Ghana Home Page. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  16. "Profile of 2012 Presidential Candidates". Official website. Electoral Commission of Ghana. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  17. "Ghana election: NPP considers challenge to John Mahama win". BBC News. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  18. Felix, Bate (10 December 2012). "Ghana opposition contender might challenge election results". Reuters. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  19. Essel, Issac (10 December 2012). "Update: AU chairman to meet Nana Akufo-Addo, after meeting Mahama". Joy Online. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  20. "Ghana's Judiciary sets up complaint secretariats for post elections petitions". Ghana Business News. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
  21. "Leave behind era of pettiness, intolerance and negativity – Mahama urges". Ghana Web. 10 December 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
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