The most difficult decision yet: Ghana's 2008 presidential elections

Abstract

Ghana’s presidential election was held from 7 December 2008 through to 2 January 2009. The paper highlights the difficulty of choice between two good candidates which polarised the nation into two nearly equal halves. This paper also discusses the significance of the election to Africa and the rest of the international community. The article makes the point that the incumbent NPP administration would have won the presidency if their supporters had made sure to vote sufficiently enough in the first round. The article adds that the mixed quality of opinion polls had an influence on the electoral process. The article further emphasizes the utter independence and efficiency of the Electoral Commission. The impossible challenge for the new administration to live up to real and imagined expectations also has potential to cost them the next election. The article finally sets the scene for the next presidential election in 2012, and concludes with a note on the role of the international community, particularly the African Union, in future democratic governance in Africa. Key words: Ghana, elections. opinion polls, African union, international observers, electoral commission, democratic governance.