Former President Rawlings has called on Ghanaians to embrace peace and unity as the 2008 Presidential elections draw to a climax.

In a statement issued after the announcement by the Electoral Commission on Tuesday that voting in Tain will be held to determine the final outcome of the election, President Rawlings called for restraint and maturity from all Ghanaians.

“These elections have tested us to the limit and having successfully gone through December 7 and 28 let us patiently wait for January 2 to close the chapter on a landmark election.”

The former President said Ghanaians should not allow the closely fought nature of the election to polarise the country.

“Ghana belongs to us all and at any particular period there can be only one President. The signs are on the wall as to who that person will be but it is important we put the final result behind us and work together as a nation,” President Rawlings said.

On the elections in Tain former President Rawlings called for serious vigilance in the light of the incredible voter turnout percentages in certain constituencies in December 28 runoff.

“Tain may be the home of the NDC because of its links to senior party officials such as Johnson Asiedu Nketia and John Mahama but it is important that every stage of the process from the distribution of election materials to polling stations right to the faxing of the constituency result to the Electoral Commission be closed monitored to avoid doctoring of figures,” the former President cautioned.

President Rawlings counselled against taunting of rival supporters and excessive victory celebrations saying these can escalate into unwarranted violence.

The former President and founder of the National Democratic Congress has meanwhile arrived in Tain to campaign for Prof John Atta Mills.

Signed: Kofi Adams