The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) says according to their Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) estimations, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party won this year’s general elections with 53.75%.

According to CODEO’S statement on the official results of the 2016 presidential elections, this was based on one thousand and five hundred (1500) polling stations from a National Representative sampling reporting.

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday declared opposition leader, Nana Akuffo Addo president-elect of Ghana winning with 53.85% of valid votes cast.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Saturday, Co-Chair of CODEO, Prof. Merinda Greenstreet said their Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) estimations was in tandem with what the EC announced.

“For each candidate the official result closely matched the PVT estimates. In general, the PVT ranking of the presidential candidates based on their share of the votes is largely similar to what was put out by the Electoral Commission. Given that the official results announced by the Electoral Commission for each candidate falls within their respective PVT estimated confident ranges, CODEO can confidently confirm that each PVT estimates are consistent with the official presidential results.”

“Not only does CODEO’s PVT estimates match the official results of the EC, but our observers also reported that the main two parties—the NPP and NDC had agents at 99% of polling stations,” she added.

COMPARISON OF CODEO’S PVT ESTIMATES WITH THE EC’S OFFICIAL RESULTS

POLITICAL PARTY      EC RESULTS     CODEO RESULTS

CPP                                  0.24%                   0.27%

NDP                                 0.16%                    0.18%

NDC                                 44.40%                 44.32%

PPP                                   1.00%                   1.07%

NPP                                   53.85%                53.75%

PNC                                   0.21%                 0.26%

IND                                    0.15%                 0.15%

While commending the NPP and NDC’s conduct during the electioneering process, Prof. Greenstreet admonished Ghanaians to ensure that the political polarization in the country is bridged.

“CODEO advises the contestants in the presidential election, their supporters as well as the general public to place confidence in the official presidential election results as declared by the Electoral Commission. CODEO reiterates its earlier call for the need for the political parties, their leaders, and the entire political class to take adequate measures to bridge the political polarization that characterized the 2016 election campaign especially between the NDC and the NPP and to reduce the winner takes all tendencies in our politics.”

She concluded by saying that CODEO did not release its findings ahead of the Electoral Commission (EC) because it believes that the law allows only the EC to declare the final results of the polls.