NPP incumbent Patrick Yaw Boamah takes early lead in Okaikoi Central

Provisional collated results from 21 out of 141 polling stations in the Okaikoi Central Constituency have shown the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Patrick Yaw Boamah, taking an early lead with 2,773 votes, while the NDC' Baba Sadiq follows closely with 2,124 votes, with 21 rejected ballots. 

In the presidential race, the NDC’s John Dramani Mahama has taken the lead with 2,758 votes, followed by the NPP candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, with 2,390 votes.

Collation at the Ghana University of Technology and Communication also shows that Nana Kwame Bediako secured 71 votes and Alana Kyerematen 24 votes; the Ghana Union Movement's (GUM) Christian Kwame Andrews had three votes, the Convention People's Party (CPP), Nana Frimpomaa Kumankuma, and the All People's Congress' Hassan Abdulai Ayariga had two votes each. 

Kofi Koranteng and George Twum Barima-Adu all polled one vote each.

Altercation 

Earlier, the collation was marred by pockets of altercations among political party agents over sitting arrangements.

This was, however, calmed after party agents and EC officials reached an agreement.  

Also, a series of altercations ensued outside the collation centre with alleged imposters addressing themselves as EC officials. 

The heavy security presence helped to restore calm, although no arrests were made. 

The police allegedly fired pepper spray to disperse the teeming crowd at the entrance of the collation centre which threatened to distort the collation process.

Reaction

In a short interview with the Daily Graphic, the NDC Parliamentary Candidate Abdulai Baba Sadiq, urged supporters and agents to remain focused as the results trickled in.

Baba Sadiq, who was at the collation centre to witness the process with his agents, urged the supporters not to be swayed, but remain focused.

"We need to stay focused and have sharp minds to do the collation and hopefully we will win," he said.