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Ghana election to go to a run-off Ghana election to go to a run-off
(20 minutes later)
Ghana's presidential election must be decided in a second-round vote, the electoral commission has announced.Ghana's presidential election must be decided in a second-round vote, the electoral commission has announced.
The commission said the governing party candidate Nana Akufo-Addo won 49.13% of the vote, against 47.92% for his rival, John Atta Mills. Governing party candidate Nana Akufo-Addo won 49.13% of the vote, against 47.92% for his rival, John Atta Mills, the commission said.
But neither candidate reached the 50% share of the vote needed to score an outright win, officials said. But neither reached the 50% threshold needed for an outright win and a run-off will be held on 28 December.
The run-off will be held on 28 December and the campaigns are going to start again soon.
Electoral commission chairman Kwadwo Afari Gyan told a news conference in the capital, Accra: "There is going to be a re-run and it will be between the two leading candidates."
He put voter turnout at 69.52%.
Mr Gyan did not immediately announce the results of the parallel parliamentary elections also held on Sunday, saying the commission needed to clarify some issues.
Local and international observers have praised Ghana for setting a good example on how to conduct an election.Local and international observers have praised Ghana for setting a good example on how to conduct an election.
The BBC's Will Ross in Accra says the country will have to do it again, but the stakes are high as Ghana has just discovered oil. Electoral commission chairman Kwadwo Afari Gyan told a news conference in the capital, Accra: "There is going to be a re-run and it will be between the two leading candidates."
High stakes
The commission chairman did not immediately announce the results of the parallel parliamentary elections also held on Sunday, saying the commission needed to clarify some issues.
Ghana's voters' viewsCan Ghana trounce the bad news?Send us your commentsIn pictures: Ghana votes
Turnout was 69.52% for Ghana's fifth set of elections since it embraced multi-party democracy in 1992.
The BBC's Will Ross in Accra says after winning praise for its peaceful poll Ghana will now have to do it again, but the stakes are high, he adds, as the country has just discovered oil.
There were a number of candidates to succeed President John Kufuor - who steps down in January having served the maximum two terms - but the election has been a two-horse race.There were a number of candidates to succeed President John Kufuor - who steps down in January having served the maximum two terms - but the election has been a two-horse race.
New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Mr Akufo-Addo won 4,159,439 votes, while National Democratic Congress (NDC) contender John Atta Mills had 4,056,634 ballots, it was announced.
Trailing a very distant third was businessman Papa Kwesi Nduom, of the Convention People's Party (CPP), with 1.3% of the ballot.
The former British colony was the first African state to gain its independence in 1957.
A nation of 22 million people, it is the world's second biggest cocoa grower and Africa's number two gold miner.