Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Presidential Candidate of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Election 2008 was on Saturday declared winner of the party's historic Special National Delegates Elections by the Electoral Commission (EC). At the close of 15 hours of voting and counting, Nana Akufo-Addo obtained 83,517 of the total 106,590 valid votes cast, representing about 78.89 per cent; Mr John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen polled 21,226 votes representing about 19.91 per cent while Mr. Isaac Osei placed distance third with 1,194 votes representing about 1.12 per cent.

Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng followed with 428 votes representing 0.40 per cent; and Mr. John Kwame Kudua obtained only 225 votes representing 0.21 per cent. 426 ballots were rejected. Mr. Albert Kofi Arhin, Director of Elections at the Electoral Commission (EC), who announced the results, formally declared Nana Akufo-Addo, winner amidst wild jubilation which took various forms; tooting of horns, shouting and dancing, by party supporters who had waited anxiously for hours on end for the official results. The declaration is in accordance with Article 12 (7) of the NPP Constitution; .."Where a contestant obtains more than 50 per cent (50%) of the votes cast, he or she shall be the party's Presidential Candidate.

In all, 112,716 delegates made up of representatives from the 229 constituencies, former President and former Vice President, overseas branches, patrons and Members of Parliament of the party voted to elect the flag bearer.

In the party's December 22, 2007 Special National Delegates Congress, Nana Akufo-Addo obtained 1,096 of the total 2,285 valid votes cast, representing about 47.97 per cent; Mr Kyerematen polled 738 votes representing about 32.30 per cent while Former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama placed third with 146 votes representing about 6.39 per cent.

Votes obtained by the other aspirants were; Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, 63 votes representing 2.76 per cent; Mr. Daniel Kweku Botwe, 52 votes representing 2.28 per cent; Papa Owusu Ankomah had 34 votes representing 1.49 per cent, and Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman had 28 votes representing 1.23 per cent.

The rest were: Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor, 22 votes representing 0.96 per cent; both Professor Mike Oquaye and Mr. Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey had 20 votes each representing 0.88 per cent; Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku obtained 19 votes representing 0.83 per cent.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng had 12 votes representing 0.53 per cent; Mr Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko obtained 10 votes representing 0.44 per cent; both Mr. Felix Kwesi Owusu-Adjapong and Mr Kwabena Agyepong had nine votes each, representing 0.39 per cent; Dr. Barfuor Adjei-Barwuah had six votes representing, 0.26 per cent and Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy obtained one vote representing 0.04 per cent. Eight votes were rejected.