The Journey Of Presidential Elections In Ghana From 1992 To 2016

THE 1992 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
History has it that elections in Ghana are always held in 7th December but the presidential election held in 1992 was on 3rd November, 1992. The result was a victory for Jerry John Rawlings, who won 58.4% of the votes. The turnout was 50.2%.

The New Patriotic Party had 30.3% with votes of 1,204,764. The National Democratic Congress had 2, 323, 135. The NDC beat NPP by One million, one hundred and eighteen thousand, three hundred and seventy-one votes. It is important to indicate that NDC led the Progressive Alliance which was a coalition of the National Democratic Congress, National Convention Party and Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere.

THE 1996 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
In the 1996 general elections, NDC had 4,099,460 representing 57.4%. NPP led by Adu Boahen had 2,834,878 representing 39.7%. PNC gathered 211,136 representing 3.0% and was led by Dr. Edward Mahama.

The National Democratic Congress beat the New Patriotic Party by 1,264,582. The percentage turnout was 57.4%.

THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
That election year recorded two rounds-first round and second round.

In the first round, NDC recorded 2,880,078 representing 43.84% and NPP recorded 3,215,561 representing 48.94%. The PNC had 189,730 representing 2.89%. These results didn't give a clear winner as the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana demanded. A second round had to be conducted by the electoral commission.

In the second round, the NDC had 2,682,071 representing 43.55% and NPP recorded 3,477,152 representing 56.46%. The difference between NDC and NPP was 795,081votes.

THE 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
In the 2004 elections, NPP recorded 4,451,100 votes representing 52.06%, NDC had 3,846,533 votes representing 44.99%, PNC had 170,657 representing 2.00% and CPP had 82,274 votes representing 0.96%. The difference between NPP and the NDC was 604,567 votes.

THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Two rounds were recorded in that year's election. In the first round, NDC recorded 4,070,889(47.76%) and NPP received 4,204,073 (49.32%). The difference between NPP and NDC was 133,184 votes.

In the second round, NDC gathered 4,521,032(50.23%)and NPP gathered 4,480,446(49.77%). NDC was able to beat NPP by 40,586 votes. That year's election was once again historic particularly the first round. What made it historic was that no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was therefore held on 28th December, 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes. Professor John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills was certified as the winner of the run-off election on January 3 , 2009, by a margin of less than one per cent. It is one of the closest elections in the history of Ghana.

The 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
In the 2012 presidential elections, NDC secured 5,574,761 representing 50.70%. The NPP gathered 5,248,898 representing 47.74%. The other five parties secured 171,603 representing 1.56%. In this elections, NDC flopped NPP by 325,863 votes.

THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
The 2016 presidential elections saw NPP gather 5,716,026 (53.85%). NDC obtained 4,713,277 (44.40%%. The difference between the two political parties was 1,002,749 votes. The total valid votes for that year was 10,615,361. The percentage turnout was 68.62% and total registered voters amounted to 15,712,499 votes.

INTERPRETATION
I must say that the interpretations given to the 2016 general elections made me write this article. The article is to educate Ghanaians about the facts and figures of Ghana's Presidential Elections from 1992 to 2016.

The defeat suffered by NDC in the 2016 general elections was never "unprecedented" as the NPP want Ghanaians to believe.

When you compare the margin of defeat of the NDC in the 2016 general elections to that of the 1992 and 1996 defeats NPP suffered, you will realize that NDC beat NPP more in terms of votes in the two elections than what NPP beat NDC in the 2016 general elections.

The political misnomer I want to correct is the idea that the margin of defeat suffered by the NDC was/is unprecedented. It's far from the truth. It can never be "unprecedented", "historic" or "legendary".

In fact, I will not be wrong if I compare NDC's wins against NPP's win and conclude that NDC has beaten NPP four times in seven presidential elections. In the sporting world, it will be described as NDC 4 vs NPP 3. In fact, this is unprecedented, historic and legendary. Lies can't hold when it comes to facts and figures in Ghanaian political history. This is because historians will not accept such misleading facts.

The indication is that, it is rather the 1992 and 1996 elections that are "unprecedented" "historic"or" legendary ". These are facts Ghanaians know about. So stop misleading the people of Ghana.

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