Democracy News

Ghana’s Presidential Runoff Election Results in Victory for Opposition
By Heather Konjura
January 15, 2009 | Printer Friendly

On Wednesday, January 7th, John Atta Mills took office as Ghana’s third president since its return to a multiparty democracy.  The Associated Press writes that Mr. Mills won the “runoff by capturing 50.23% of the vote, or 4,521,032 ballots, compared with 49.77%, or 4,480,446 votes, for ruling party candidate Nana Akufo-Addo.”  BBC writes the runoff election was necessary as neither candidate passed the “50% threshold needed for outright victory” during the December 7th election (See CCD’s report on the first round of Presidential elections in Ghana).

Reuters writes that various African leaders agreed that “Ghana's largely peaceful and credible presidential election was a rare example of a functioning democracy in Africa and should be a model for the continent.”  According to the same Reuters article, Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga said “John Atta Mills' victory and the conduct of the people of Ghana provides a rare example of democracy at work in Africa.”  South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki said that "[The Ghanaian election] bears testimony to the respect for democracy and good governance in Africa" and "the people of Ghana ... have through the ballot paper showed their appreciation for democracy.”  John-Peter Pham, an Africa expert at James Madison University in Virginia, told the Associated Press that the election was "the first case in Africa I can think of where a country has seen two successive transfers of power from democratically elected incumbents to democratically elected successors."  Pham further said that “the transfers were between opposing governing powers is an important indicator of the vibrancy of a country's democracy and the maturity of its political institutions.”

According to BBC, Mr. Atta Mills has a lengthy resume as a Fulbright Scholar, member of the national hockey team, twenty-five years as a professor at the University of Ghana, national tax commissioner, Ghana’s vice president from 1997 to 2000, three time presidential candidate, and president-elect in 2008.

The New York Times writes that during President Mills’ inauguration speech, he vowed “to pursue relentlessly all avenues for entrenching peace and uniting all parts of the country.”  In the Voice of America article “Ruling Party Puts Pressure on Ghana President Atta-Mills,” Peter Clottey writes that “President Atta-Mills promised Ghanaians that he would promote business and economic growth…Both local and international observers described the election as transparent, free and fair, meeting international standards.”

References:

The Wall Street Journal – Opposition Leader Wins Presidency in Ghana

BBC News – Profile: Ghana President John Atta Mills

The New York Times – Ghana’s Unlikely Democrat Find Vindication in Vote

VOA News: Ruling Party Puts Pressure on Ghana President Atta-Mills by Peter Clottey

Reuters – Africa Hails Ghana Election as Democratic Success

Associated Press – Opposition Leader to be Ghana’s President