Opposition leader wins presidency in Ghana

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE
ACCRA, Ghana - Opposition leader John Atta Mills won Ghana's presidency, narrowly defeating his ruling party rival in a tense runoff, the election agency of this West African nation announced Saturday.

Mills won Sunday's runoff by capturing 50.23 percent of the vote _ or 4,521,032 ballots _ compared with 49.77 percent _ or 4,480,446 votes _ for ruling party candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, Electoral Commission chairman Kwadwo Afari-Gyan said.

A special revote Friday in a single western district secured Mills' victory. The region of Tain had been unable to vote in the second round because of a shortage of ballots, and the makeup vote _ which took place peacefully despite ruling party efforts to stop it _ became the deciding factor.

"I commend the two candidates for conducting themselves well," the election chief said.

Ghana party bids to halt key vote

Ghana's ruling party is seeking to delay voting in a remote district that could decide the outcome of the knife-edge presidential run-off election.

Ruling party officials say a fair vote can not be held and they will boycott the poll in Tain if it goes ahead.

Tain constituency did not vote with the rest of the country on Sunday because of a problem distributing the ballots.

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," Arthur Kennedy, a spokesman for the ruling New Patriotic Front (NPP), told AFP news agency.