The whole nation erupted into wild jubilation, moments after the Returning Officer of the presidential election, Mrs Charlotte Osei had declared the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President-elect of the country.
Nana Akufo-Addo defeated incumbent President John Dramani Mahama and five other candidates in his third attempt at the presidency.
Out of 10,781609 total valid votes cast, Nana Akufo-Addo, according to the EC polled 5,716,226 (53.85 per cent) , while closest challenger, President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) polled 4,713,277 (44.40 per cent).
In Accra, flag waving supporters of the NPP could not hide their excitement as they ran through Adabraka, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Alajo, Kotobabi, Pig Farm, Tesano and Achimota singing and dancing to the party’s campaign songs, report Seth Bokpe and Doreen Andoh.
Others sat in the buckets of pick up trucks and motorcycles to celebrate a victory which had been long in coming
Surprisingly in Adabraka, NDC supporters in party t-shirts joined the fun
“It’s a victory for our democracy. I knew we had lost right from Thursday. Our people were losing seats. We thank God for our peace,” Michael Quartey who joined the fun in Adakraka said
“I won’t sleep tonight. This is the best news of the year. It’s incredible. It’s unbelievable. We thank God the victory” Sandra Owoo, a supporter of the NPP told the Daily Graphic as vuvuzelas buzzed like bees in the background.
The supporters blocked the roads in several parts of Accra drumming, dancing and blowing the vuvuzelas.
A mammoth crowd of party supporters gathered in front of Nana Akufo-Ado’s private residence to jubilate and hear his address to the public.
There was also a mammoth crowd made up of party supporters in front of Nana Akufo-Ado’s house as well as the party headquarters dancing to music by brass bands.
Some of the supporters of the party, riding on motor bikes decorated in NPP colours, huge traffic jam on the Ring Road from the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange with most of the vehicles tooting the horns of their cars and other major roads in the vicinity was a sight to behold.
When some of the supporters received the message of Nana Akufo-Ado’s win, they shouted some of the NDC’s slogans such as “ Mahama Onaaa mpo, JM Toaso” while they whistled and did the Usain Bolt sign.
They also sang songs such as Nana dee, oye winner ooo waving the party’s flag and handkerchiefs on some of the most principal streets in the capital.
From Sakumono, Della Russel Ocloo reports that residents trooped to the main Sakumono Estate Junction to celebrate the victory of NPP’s presidential candidate, following reports that President John Mahama had called him to concede defeat.
The jubilation increased further with an announcement by the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Mrs Osei.
The supporters, some of whom were clad in NPP shirts, partly took over the streets leading to the estate dancing to music provided from a nearby retail shop.
The celebrants prevented vehicles entering the estate from using the street, a situation which forced many to divert to adjoining roads in the vicinity.
Kumasi
From Kumasi, Ato Dapatem, reports that even before the EC declared the President-elect for the 2016 presidential poll, hundreds of NPP supporters in Kumasi and other parts of the region had taken to the streets in jubilation.
The jubilant supporters could be found on many major and minor streets in the region with the support of brass band music and ironically singing the NDC campaign song “Onaapo”.
Others could be seen lighting fire crackers.
There was the spontaneous jubilation at places including Asafo, Bantama, Asuoyeboa, Abuakwa, as well as Obuasi, Adansi Asokwa, Santase, New Edubiase and many other towns in the region
Drivers of both private and commercial vehicles hung NPP paraphernalia around their cars, tooting their horns while passengers on-board those vehicles responded to the cheers.
Drinking pubs also witnessed increasing patronage by people in NPP paraphernalia.
The anti-climax of the celebration was that two people were said to have been knocked down by a car and were rushed to the hospital for treatment
Tamale
Supporters of the NPP in the Tamale metropolis went into jubilation moments after news went round that President Mahama had called Nana Akufo-Addo to congratulate him on his victory, writes Samuel Duodo from Tamale.
Youngmen riding on motorbikes with their exhaust pipe and silencer removed drove through streets, touting their horns.
There were also fireworks to celebrate the victory of the largest opposition party at the polls.
Some residents who joined in the celebration were also seen shouting the party’s campaign slogan “Shiekoshie” in Dagbani which is literally translated as ” you must step down”.
Some residents who were elated about the news told the Daily Graphic in an interview that they were “yearning for a change and change has truly come”
Wa Jubilate
From Wa, Michael Quaye, reports that supporters of the opposition NPP set out to celebrate in Wa, following media projections on the December 7 general election.
In a carnival through some of the major streets of the capital of Upper West Region, the supporters danced to songs that characterised the campaigns of the Ghana’s biggest party, the NPP and the ruling NDC.
Unity rather than difference
The supporters were dressed in colours of both NDC and NPP, and some of them said it was to project unity rather than any differences that electoral fortunes might seem to have among them.
And at a news conference, the Regional Vice- Chairman of the party, Mr Hafiz bin Salih, thanked the voter population in the region for the support shown to them.
Hohoe jubilate
From Hohoe, Shallom Lumor reports that some members from the NPP in Hohoe have clad themselves in white and party colours took over on the street of Gbi Bla to celebrate the victory.
In other parts of the town, the NPP supporters were seen on motorcycles.
Meanwhile, when Daily Graphic spoke to some of the supporters, they said they were happy because they had won.
The Chairman of Hohoe Operation, a group under the NPP, Mr Goka Etornam, said they were happy and he thanked God for the victory.
Anxiety
Earlier, Ghanaians were gripped by heightened anxiety while they waited for the results of the 2016 presidential poll, 48 hours after the general election.
Although the parliamentary poll has been announced, at the constituency collating centre that of the presidential poll has delayed because the results have to be certified at the EC headquarters by the Returning Officer who is also the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Charlotte Osei.
Delay
The delay in the declaration of the final result of the presidential election had created apprehension among members of the public with many people staying glued to their radio and television sets in anticipation of the announcement from the EC.
While some people were monitoring the declaration of the election result from the radio sets on their mobile phones, others could not take their eyes off their television sets in their homes and offices .
The traffic on social media , especially the online platforms of the various media houses was very high as voters sought answers to questions agitating their minds about the 2016 election.
Many blamed the EC for the delay in announcing the certified results and for particularly delaying in declaring the winner of the presidential race.
The streets of the national capital were still empty yesterday two days after the conduct of the December 7 election.
Some stores in the central business district have remained closed, while trading activities were not brisk as they used to be.
Pressure on EC
The NPP, and some individuals mounted pressure on the EC to declare the result of the presidential election.
Both the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have claimed that their presidential candidates are in the lead in the presidential election.
But the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Osei, has urged the public to be patient and bear with the commission as it worked around the clock to release accurate results of the December 7 general election that would reflect the will of Ghanaians.
She said there was anxiety among Ghanaians for the EC to call the results but indicated that the duty that the EC owed to Ghanaians was not to give quick results but rather accurate results.
“We want to exercise prudence to ensure that the results are accurate and properly signed. Accuracy is more important than speed,” she said.
Mrs Osei condemned the NPP and the NDC for indicating earlier that they had either won the election or were in the lead.
President Mahama
Meanwhile, President Mahama assured the nation that the ruling NDC will accept the result of the election whether positive or negative.
He, therefore, urged the supporters of the party to remain calm as the EC performed its statutory obligations.
Addressing a gathering of party supporters who converged on his official residence at Cantonments in Accra yesterday, to show solidarity with him in the wake of the anxiety surrounding the result of the election, the President said the party was comparing figures they had with those coming from the EC.
Kofi Annan
In a related development, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Mr Kofi Annan, has congratulated the EC and its staff and the people of Ghana for conducting a good election on December 7, 2016.
“I call on the candidates, their parties and their supporters to remain calm until the announcement of the final result by the Electoral Commission. There is no reason for incitement,” he said in a statement issued yesterday.
In the spirit of democracy, the statement called on the losers of the polls to concede as quickly as possible to defuse tensions and allay uncertainties.
“Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the five candidates who have already done so in the light of the preliminary results and clear trends,” Mr Annan stated, stressing, “the people of Ghana are waiting and watching, let’s not disappoint them.”
