Observer missions laud runoff

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Independent election observers across the world have lauded last Sunday's election run-off describing it as largely free and fair.

The run-off was fiercely contested between New Patriotic Party Nana Akufo-Addo and the opposition leader Prof. John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress, after the two parties and five others failed to meet the 50 per cent plus one vote mandated in the first round of the election to be crowned as victor.

Even though there were skirmishes and some election malpractices at some of the polling stations, the observers insist the polls cannot be discredited.

Gen. Yakubu Guon, leader of the ECOWAS mission and former Head of State of Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria, was full of praise for the generally peaceful and orderly nature the polls went.

“We attested to the vast majority who were able to cast their vote freely. They had all the opportunity, the time to be able to cast their vote and they stayed in the queue until they were able to cast their vote."

At a news conference on Tuesday the African union observer mission was full of praise for the Electoral Commission for their professionalism.

"Some incidents and irregularities occurred, nonetheless, in most cases the Election officials took steps to overcome them,” Ahmed-Salim-Ahmed former OAU secretary general and leader of the AU observer told the media on Tuesday.

He expressed regrets over the accusations and unverified rumours which he said exacerbated an already tensed atmosphere.

Both the European Union and Commonwealth observer missions have all expressed satisfaction over the polls.

Story by Nathan Gadugah