EU deploys observer mission for run-off

Accra, Dec. 21, GNA - The European Union has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to observe the presidential run-off scheduled for December 28.

A statement issued in Accra by Mr. Mathias Eick, Press Officer of the EOM, said the team is led by Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian member of the European Parliament.

It said a core team of seven election experts had been based in Accra since November 1.

The statement said on voting day, 46 observers from 24 EU member states and Norway would be deployed throughout the country. The team would include 24 long-term observers who have been working in all 10 regions since November 9.

The EU was among a host of institutions, including the Carter Centre, ECOWAS, African Union and Coalition of Domestic Observers (CODEO), who observed the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.

The run-off will be between Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NP) and Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission announced that Nana Akufo-Addo had 4,159,439 votes representing 49.13 per cent while Prof. Atta Mills obtained 4,056,634 representing 47.92 per cent.