'We'll make Ghana proud no matter the outcome' - losing incumbent

Ghana

John Dramani Mahama, Ghana’s president has called on nationals to allow the Electoral Commission (EC) to do its work as mandated by law.

Mahama, who according to local media projections failed in his bid to secure a second term in office added that irrespective of the outcome of the polls, the country will maintain its record as a true democracy.

‘‘Let’s allow EC to carry out its constitutional mandate. We’ll make Ghana proud no matter outcome,’‘ he said in a message on his official Twitter handle.

Let's allow EC to carry out its constitutional mandate. We'll make Ghana proud no matter outcome.

— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) December 9, 2016

Meanwhile, Nana Akufo-Addo who led the New Patriotic Party (NPP) into the polls has been retweeting projections by local media affirming his victory in the December 7 presidential polls. He had earlier called on his supporters to allow the EC time to affirm their victory.

One of Ghana’s biggest media outlets, Multimedia Group were the first to project him as winner in the wee hours of Friday morning. They were followed by another TV channel, TV Africa. Both networks projected that he will be declared winner by a margin of over 53%.

Ghana operates a 50%+1 system in electing its president. It means that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wins the polls by what is locally referred to as a ‘one touch’ victory – without the need for a runoff poll. The former Foreign Affairs and Minister of Justice has won the presidency on his third attempt.

Projected winner for the 2016 presidential election:
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (nakufoaddo) of the New Patriotic Party. pic.twitter.com/kaJMn60fJi
— #ElectionHQ (Joy997FM) December 9, 2016

Charlotte Osei, the chairperson of the EC announced to the media on Thursday evening that results could not be changed in anyway amid claims that ‘rigging’ could take place with the delay in release of results.

“We want to assure you that we cannot change the results in any way. We cannot manipulate the results. The results have already been declared on a polling station by polling station basis. All we are doing is to take those results and put them together, but in doing that, we must ensure accuracy,” she said.