Ghana voters' reaction to run-off

Ghanaians react to the announcement by the country's electoral commission that the presidential election must be decided in a second-round vote.

Governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Nana Akufo-Addo won 49.13% of the vote, against 47.92% for his rival, John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Click on the links below to read some Ghanaian's views:

"
It has given the ruling party a scare which is a good thing
" Ebow | 35 | Software developer | Accra

"
I am feeling relaxed because over the weekend there were no incidents
" Bridget | 39 | General manager | Accra

"
I am a little bit surprised because I thought it would be a straight victory
" Moses | 28 | Part-time student/aid worker | Kumasi

"
If the opposition campaigns even more vigorously from now on they will be able to gain the little more they need to win
" Yirisa | 25 | National service | Tamale

EBOW, 35, SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, ACCRA

" I think it's fine that we are now going to have a run-off.

"Ghana was to be a beacon. But we are not where we should be"

Read Ebow's pre-poll views

It has given the New Patriotic Party (NPP) a scare which is a good thing.

I wasn't actually expecting this. I thought the Convention People's Party (CPP) would do better.

A lot of people gave their votes to the CPP to protest against the NPP because of all their corruption and so it has turned out to be a good thing.

NPP thought that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wouldn't have a chance to come back but now they know that it does matter what people do when they're in power.

There is going to be slightly more tension and I am sure that there will be a big step-up in campaigning.

I imagine that the NDC will be feeling very confident while the NPP will be running scared trying to do everything they can. "

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BRIDGET, 39, GENERAL MANAGER, ACCRA

" By yesterday most of us knew that we were heading for a run-off.

I actually wanted it to go this way and so I am happy.

"Ghanaians are becoming more and more discerning - it is not about hunger and the next meal any more"

Read Bridget's pre-poll views

We have done this run-off thing before and then when we did, that Christmas was a bit tense, but this time I am around, if I go by how I am feeling myself, I think that everyone's just going to relax.

I am feeling relaxed because over the weekend there were no incidents, there was nothing to make me worry and there were also a lot of checks and balances in place to ensure everything went well.

I think there'll be a clear winner by the time we vote in the run-off.

I don't know who it will be and as I explained before, I don't support either of the two men.

The last time we went to a second round it was the opposition's man who won.

I am happy that the election has been peaceful so far and everyone has been understanding of the situation and that our lives have gone on. "

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MOSES, 28, STUDENT/AID WORKER, KUMASI

" I am a little bit surprised that there is going to be a run-off because I thought it would be a straight victory.

"We will pull through this election and we will not be like a chicken losing its head"

Read Moses' pre-poll views

I do welcome it though and I will definitely go back and vote again.

The news of the second round was such a surprise to everyone here in Kumasi.

It is a stronghold for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) here and so I think they must have taken their support for granted.

However the coming weeks will bring victory for the NPP.

Turnout was low in Kumasi - only 66% voted which was terrible and so there's now going to be a lot of campaigning against voter apathy to get everyone here to go and cast their ballot. "

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YIRISA, 25, NATIONAL SERVICE, TAMALE

" Oh yes, yes, yes, I have heard the news about the run-off.

"We see politicians riding very expensive cars and we have nothing"

Read Yirisa's pre-poll views

It will be OK and I think in the end this coming vote will be in the favour of the opposition - no doubt about it.

I think the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) cannot get any more votes than they got this last time because there is no way that they can spend the same amount again on campaigning for the second round.

So, I think that if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) campaigns even more vigorously from now on they will be able to gain the little more that they need to win outright.

Also, for the run-off, the smaller parties will be out of the way and so I think the NDC will get those votes.

I have heard some people saying that although they voted on Sunday for the NPP, they are now changing their minds and are going to give their second chance votes to the NDC. "

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The readers' panel has been selected from as wide a cross-section as possible and may not be representative of wider public opinion.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Ghana Elections 2008
NPP
NDC
CPP
Focus on Africa magazine
Electoral Commission of Ghana
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