Independent candidate votes without ID card

Accra, Dec. 7, GNA - Mr Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah, the only independent candidate running for president, on Sunday voted at the Labone Secondary School (LABOSCO) Polling Station in the Dadekotopon Constituency without his voters' ID card because he left it at home.

Mr. Amoafo-Yeboah arrived at about 0830 hours to vote but his name could not be located in the voters' register.

He was therefore held up for about three minutes before being made to fill an omission form after which he was allowed to vote. But minutes after he had voted his driver brought his ID card and it was cross-checked against the register again and his name was found. The presiding officer, Ms Ernestina Baah, told journalists that since Mr Amoafo-Yeboah was a presidential candidate his name must be in the register so he could not have been denied the opportunity to vote. Mr Amoafo-Yeboah later told journalists that it was his mistake to have left his ID card at home. He said he voted for himself and a parliamentary candidate of one of the political parties, describing his voting style as "skirt and blouse".

Mr Amoafo-Yeboah, who was all dressed up for golf, said he was going to play golf after voting, adding that, "from there I will go home, take a shower and relax until the final results are out within the next day or two".

He reiterated his position that he was satisfied with his contribution to the democratic process and would therefore not be disturbed if the results did not turn out in his favour. The presiding officer told the GNA that 1,005 persons were expected to vote at the polling station.

She said voting materials arrived at about 0520 hours on Sunday and voting started at exactly 0700 hours after a short but intensive five minutes of prayer and singing, led by Evangelist Richard Nsiah of the Osu Methodist Church, who was also in the queue to vote. Mr Edward Faakye, Logistics Coordinator for Peace Corps, was the first to vote at the polling station and one person who did not give his name made a mistake of putting the presidential ballot into the parliamentary ballot box.

But Ms Baah said during the sorting of the ballot papers, that particular ballot paper would be added to the presidential ballots, provided it was valid.