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Ghana elections: Polls open with tight race predicted | Ghana elections: Polls open with tight race predicted |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Voting is under way in Ghana's presidential election in what analysts say is a tight race between President John Mahama and veteran opposition leader Nana Akufo Addo. | Voting is under way in Ghana's presidential election in what analysts say is a tight race between President John Mahama and veteran opposition leader Nana Akufo Addo. |
All seven candidates have pledged to keep the process peaceful but an opposition supporter died when a rally tuned violent on Monday. | All seven candidates have pledged to keep the process peaceful but an opposition supporter died when a rally tuned violent on Monday. |
The campaign has been dominated by the faltering state of Ghana's economy and the issue of corruption. | The campaign has been dominated by the faltering state of Ghana's economy and the issue of corruption. |
Results are expected within three days. | Results are expected within three days. |
A run-off will be held later in the month if neither of the two main candidates secures more than 50% of the votes. | A run-off will be held later in the month if neither of the two main candidates secures more than 50% of the votes. |
The candidates signed a pact last week vowing to follow electoral rules and keep the peace. | The candidates signed a pact last week vowing to follow electoral rules and keep the peace. |
But clashes broke out on Monday in Chereponi, a small northern town on the border with Togo. In addition to the reported death, six people are said to be in a critical condition as a result. | But clashes broke out on Monday in Chereponi, a small northern town on the border with Togo. In addition to the reported death, six people are said to be in a critical condition as a result. |
Defeat for Mr Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would make him the only single-term president since Ghana returned to multi-party democracy. | Defeat for Mr Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would make him the only single-term president since Ghana returned to multi-party democracy. |
However he has been nicknamed "Mr Dumsor", a local word that refers to the power cuts that have blighted the country during his term. | However he has been nicknamed "Mr Dumsor", a local word that refers to the power cuts that have blighted the country during his term. |
Mr Akufo-Addo meanwhile has promised free high-school education and more factories, but his critics have questioned the viability of his ambitions. | |
Head-to-head: | |
NDC candidate: John Dramani Mahama, 57 | |
NPP candidate: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 72 |