Ghanaians vote in historic presidential and parliamentary polls

Abuja
Voters in Ghana’s historic presidential and parliamentary elections poured into polling stations from as early as 2am on Monday with long queues being witnessed.

This is the seventh successive multi-party poll under the forth republic, which started with former President Jerry Rawlings after the 1960 general election.

Ghana elections
An electoral official tears out a ballot paper for a voter in the Eastern Region district of Kyebi, Ghana on December 7, 2020.

Pius Utomi Ekpei | AFP
More than 17 million of Ghana’s 29 million people registered as voters are expected to cast their ballots during the 10-hour period in more than 38,622 polling stations across the country to elect a new president and 275 parliamentarians.

Ghana elections
An electoral official points to a ballot box to voters at a polling station in the Eastern Region district of Kyebi on December 7, 2020 during Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

Pius Utomi Ekpei | AFP
Voting is expected end at 5pm Monday unless there are extensions due to technical reasons.

Twelve presidential candidates are contesting for the country’s top seat. But the major gladiators are incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

There are 914 candidates fighting it out for 275 parliamentary seats.

Ghana elections
An electoral official checks the temperature of a voter at a polling station in Jamestown on December 7, 2020.

Pius Utomi Ekpei | AFP
Winners in past presidential elections:

1. 1960 – Kwame Nkrumah — Convention People’s Party
2. 1992 – Jerry Rawlings — Progressive Alliance
3. 1996 – Jerry Rawlings — National Democratic Congress (NDC)
4. 2000 – John Kufuor — New Patriotic Party (NPP)
5. 2004 – John Kufuor — NPP.
6. 2008 – John Atta Mills — NDC
7. 2012 – John Dramani Mahama — NDC
8. 2016 – Nana Akufo-Addo — NPP

Ghan elections
A woman votes in Jamestown on December 7, 2020.

Pius Utomi Ekpei | AFP
Presidential candidates in the 2020 election:

1. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 76 — NPP
2. John Dramani Mahama, 61 — NDC
3. Christian Kwabena Andrews, 55 ؅— GUM
4. Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, 54 — CPP
5. Akua Donkor, 65 — GFP
6. Henry Herbert Lartey, 66 — GCPP
7. Hassan Ayariga, 48 — APC
8. Percival Kofi Akpaloo — 49, LPG
9. David Asibi Apasera, 58 — PNC
10. Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku, 51 — PPP
11. Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, 72 — NDP
12. Alfred Kwame Asiedu Walker, 64 — independent candidate