From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:GHANA: RAWLINGS LEADS AS OPPOSITION CRIES FOUL
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 02:08:23 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Environment
Title: GHANA: RAWLINGS LEADS AS OPPOSITION CRIES FOUL


accra, nov 4 (ips) -- ghana's opposition has accused the
government of flt lt jerry rawlings of massive vote-rigging in
tuesday's presidential poll.

with results from 28 out of the country's 200 constituencies
announced early wednesday, rawlings was ahead of the race,
winning close to 59 percent of the vote in an election he was
widely tipped to lose.

rawlings strongest rival, albert adu-boahen, leader of the
centre-right new patriotic party (npp), is trailing behind him
with 30 percent in a five-candidate field.

rawlings needs over 50 percent to win outright and avoid a second
round run-off.

reports were trickling in all day of poll irregularities in
this west african country's first presidential election since
1979.

stunned by the events of the day, npp chair bernard da rocha
told ips: ''we knew that they would rig the elections because he
(rawlings) dare not go. but we won't let him rig them. we won't
let him become president of this country through rigged
elections''.

but npp publicity coordinator jake obetsebi-lamptey
acknowledged it would be difficult to challenge the results
unless all the opposition parties were united.

''in the light of the things we found going on, if the
political parties get round and say that it was a fair election
then we'll accept it. if they say no, as we believe they will,
then we won't accept'', obetsebi-lamptey told ips wednesday.

a leading businessperson here, obetsebi-lamptey  said there
was now anxiety among npp backers of retribution for their stand
by the authorities.

the opposition allege widespread fraud. the npp earlier in
the day tuesday had delivered a letter to the commonwealth
observer team listing examples of vote manipulation.

these included the discovery by police of 20 stuffed ballot
boxes in kumasi, the regional capital of ashanti region in the
east, deliberately delayed voting in several constituencies
believed to be opposition strongholds and cases of missing
voters' registers, election returns slips, and multiple voting.
(more/ips)


ghana: rawlings (2)

at bukom, a ghetto of central accra close to the end of
polling at 16.30 gmt tuesday, several people complained that
their ballots had already been cast by impostors or that the
voters register had been doctored.

''i am sure i am registered here but i have not seen my
name'', said polling agent nii laryea. ''we started voting late
because they brought the voting register around (14.30 gmt). we
want to know why''.

robert nyantey, a local government worker, added: ''i
couldn't see my name on the register even though i know i
registered. i think it's more than a 1,000 people (here) who
couldn't vote''.

a senior police officer said the electoral commission
officials overseeing the poll had been ineffectual. ''they have
not been able to do their job properly''.

but justice ofori-boateng, chief executive of the interim
national electoral commission, said the problems at bukom were
''insignificant'' and that the overall process nationally had
been free and fair.

however, alarm bells began to ring for the opposition late
tuesday when official results indicated rawlings' victories in
the east (adu-boahen's home region) and brong ahafo in the upper
west, believed to be npp territory.

even in ashanti, traditionally opposed to rawlings, there
were significant pockets of support for the 45-year-old former
air force pilot.

but on the streets of accra, celebrations went on throughout
the night by rawlings' supporters. one of the revellers, ishmael
nortey, said the results were fair and that the opposition had
underestimated the strength of ''genuine support'' for rawlings
who has ruled for 11 years.

''the opposition did not even acknowledge the good that
rawlings has done'', nortey said. ''instead their campaign was
just personal abuse''.

but one observer, preferring to remain anonymous, said: ''if
this town was really behind rawlings, the celebrations would
look like christmas here''. (end/ips/ro/oa/apc/ar/92)
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