In the Civil Service retirement age is pegged at 60 years;
however, politics creates room for old men to have their way as there are no strings
attached as far as age is concerned.
But in politics when one is hitting 70 years, it becomes
sorrowful to see that person defeated in elections that he needed
to win badly because of his age.
Nana Akufo-Addo, presidential candidate of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP), has not been lucky, as he would be more than 70 years
in the next elections because he has lost this year’s election
which he needed to win badly.
He has been defeated by the very person he (Nana Addo)
described as ‘Caretaker’ President, John Dramani Mahama, in this
year’s Presidential election.
Before the declaration of the result last night, there was a
marathon meeting between the Electoral Commission and some National
Executives of both the NDC and the NPP, behind closed
doors.
The meeting, which lasted for more than two hours, made both
local and international reporters to spend hours at the hall of the
EC to wait for hours.
Then the hour came, when Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of
the EC, who is also the Returning Officer for the Presidential
Election, announced the results.
John Dramani Mahama of the NDC polled 5,574,761 representing
50.70% of the total valid votes cast.
Nana Addo of the NPP polled 5, 248,898 representing 47.74% of
the total votes cast.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP)
had 64,362 representing 0.59% of the total valid votes
cast.
Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) represented by Dr
Henry Lartey, Jnr., had 38,223 representing 0.35% of the total
valid votes cast.
Hassan Ayariga of the People’s National Convention (PNC)
polled 24,617 representing 0.22 of the total valid votes
cast.
Dr Abu Sakara Foster of the Convention People’s Party (CPP)
had 20,323 representing 0.18% of the total valid votes
cast.
Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, who contested the election as an
Independent candidate, polled 15,201 representing 0.14% of the
total valid votes cast, while Mr Akwasi Addai of the United Front
Party (UFP) polled 8,877 representing 0.8% of the total valid votes
cast.
Total valid votes cast for the Presidential election was
10,995,262 out of 11,246,982 total votes cast.
Rejected votes were 251,720. In all, the EC registered
14,158, 890 voters. Turn out for the presidential election was
79.43%.
