Sadly, it appears that when there is no violence in an African country after an election, then it is not normal.
Ghanaians went through voting on December 7, 2012 in some cases for two days of voting, at some polling centres voting continued on December 8, because biometric verification equipment didn't function on the first day of voting.
In 72 hours the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) announced the final results from all 275 constituencies and declared the winner of the Presidential poll.
The winner is incumbent President, John Mahama, who stood on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He won with 50.70% of the total valid votes cast, defeating his closest opponent, Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The difference between these two close contenders was 325,863 votes.
Nana Akufo-Addo got 5,248 898 of the votes or 47.74%, followed by Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) with 38,223 votes – that is 0.59%.
Henry Herbert Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) has 38,223 votes or 0.35% of valid votes cast, Hassan Ayariga of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) has 24,617 or 0.22% of valid votes cast. Dr. Abu Sakara of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) has 20, 323 votes making 0.18% of valid votes cast.
The Independent candidate, Jacob Osei Yeboah has 15,201 or 0.14% of valid votes cast and Kwasi Oddai Odike of the United Front Party (UFP) has 8,877 of valid votes cast which is 0.08%.
According to the EC total valid votes cast is 10,995,262 and 251,720 votes were rejected. The results are from all the 275 constituencies around the country.
The voter turnout was 79.43% .
The opposition NPP is demanding an audit of the results. Its candidate, Akufo-Addo is yet to concede defeat and the NDC is organising what they call a 'mini' victory rally in Accra.
A few rowdy people had gathered around the premises of the EC and were driven away with tear gas by the police, and that is what is making news among the war mongers. If that is the only source of news to people following on the situation in Ghana after the elections, then these people will think Ghana is about to fall off a cliff.
I spoke yesterday and today to two different residents of the second politically most active city in Ghana, Kumasi in the Ashanti region and they all say, the city is calm.
Yet the mongers are emphasising the NPP position and the small crowd situation as the main focus of the aftermath of the elections.
Accra, the capital itself is calm and most people are happy returning to work Monday morning after a long weekend filled with election issues.
Ghana is not about to crack, there is not the slightest possibility that the country will be up in flames over the election 'dispute' by the NPP. Indeed, there have always been election disputes in Ghana, and yet the country never went up in smoke!
After the 2008 general elections, which the NDC won, some of its ill informed members marched to the offices of the EC and were driven back by the police. What the NPP supporters are doing is similar to that incident and that is that - it is not the beginning of war.
Ghanaians have voted, the EC has announced the results. The opposition says it has evidence of fraud, mostly in areas where it lost. It can go to court to make a case, Ghana's judiciary system has proven it is independent, and the matter will be looked into on merit.
Ghanaians love the peace they are enjoying, even if most of them have not benefited from the huge economic leap the country has achieved in cutting poverty to half - they cherish the peace and would protect it. Ghanaians won't go to war over election results and there is no tension in the country. Life still goes on.
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