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| Ghana vote despite party boycott | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Voting has begun in a remote Ghana district that could decide the outcome of a knife-edge presidential election, despite a ruling party boycott. | |
| The ruling New Patriotic Front (NPP) had sought an injunction to delay Friday's voting in Tain constituency. | |
| NPP officials said the atmosphere in the rural, western district was not conducive to a free and fair election. | NPP officials said the atmosphere in the rural, western district was not conducive to a free and fair election. |
| Tain constituency did not vote with the rest of the country last Sunday because of a problem distributing ballots. | Tain constituency did not vote with the rest of the country last Sunday because of a problem distributing ballots. |
| Opposition candidate John Atta Mills has a narrow lead over the ruling party's Nana Akufo-Addo. | Opposition candidate John Atta Mills has a narrow lead over the ruling party's Nana Akufo-Addo. |
| "We are trying to stop the election because we think the security situation on the ground is not conducive for a free and fair election," NPP spokesman Arthur Kennedy told AFP news agency. | "We are trying to stop the election because we think the security situation on the ground is not conducive for a free and fair election," NPP spokesman Arthur Kennedy told AFP news agency. |
| Soldiers and police have been deployed across the district - the last of Ghana's 230 constituencies to vote. | Soldiers and police have been deployed across the district - the last of Ghana's 230 constituencies to vote. |
| RIVALS AT A GLANCE JOHN ATTA MILLS (left)Age: 64Party: National Democratic CongressExecutive posts: Vice-president 1997-2000Profession: University professorHobbies: Hockey, swimmingFamily: Married with one childNANA AKUFO-ADDO (right)Age: 64Party: New Patriotic PartyExecutive posts: Attorney general 2001-03; foreign affairs minister 2003-07Profession: LawyerFamily: Married with five children Q&A: Ghana election run-off | RIVALS AT A GLANCE JOHN ATTA MILLS (left)Age: 64Party: National Democratic CongressExecutive posts: Vice-president 1997-2000Profession: University professorHobbies: Hockey, swimmingFamily: Married with one childNANA AKUFO-ADDO (right)Age: 64Party: New Patriotic PartyExecutive posts: Attorney general 2001-03; foreign affairs minister 2003-07Profession: LawyerFamily: Married with five children Q&A: Ghana election run-off |
| The BBC's Will Ross, in Ghana's capital Accra, says Mr Akufo-Addo can not realistically win enough support among Tain's 53,000 eligible voters to overturn the lead held by Mr Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). | The BBC's Will Ross, in Ghana's capital Accra, says Mr Akufo-Addo can not realistically win enough support among Tain's 53,000 eligible voters to overturn the lead held by Mr Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). |
| Mr Atta Mills won the area in the first round of voting on 7 December and NDC is confident of victory. | Mr Atta Mills won the area in the first round of voting on 7 December and NDC is confident of victory. |
| He has 50.13% of the approximately nine million votes already cast compared with 49.87% for Mr Akufo-Addo, election officials have said. | He has 50.13% of the approximately nine million votes already cast compared with 49.87% for Mr Akufo-Addo, election officials have said. |
| Just over 23,000 votes separate the two candidates. | Just over 23,000 votes separate the two candidates. |
| Officials from the NPP have been meeting and observers of the election suggest the party is now split on whether Mr Akufo-Addo should accept defeat, says our correspondent. | Officials from the NPP have been meeting and observers of the election suggest the party is now split on whether Mr Akufo-Addo should accept defeat, says our correspondent. |
| Both sides have claimed voting irregularities in other districts and the election commission said it would investigate them before announcing the result. | Both sides have claimed voting irregularities in other districts and the election commission said it would investigate them before announcing the result. |
| The two men are vying to replace President John Kufour, who is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms in office. | The two men are vying to replace President John Kufour, who is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms in office. |
| Ghana is one of Africa's most stable democracies, with peaceful handovers of power. | Ghana is one of Africa's most stable democracies, with peaceful handovers of power. |
| But the close race, fraud allegations and the increased stakes with the discovery of oil off the coast have raised fears of possible violence. | But the close race, fraud allegations and the increased stakes with the discovery of oil off the coast have raised fears of possible violence. |