General elections were held in Ghana on 18 June 1979, with a second round of the presidential election on 9 July 1979. The presidential election resulted in victory for Hilla Limann of the People's National Party, who received 62% of the vote in the run-off,Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p438 whilst his PNP won 71 of the 140 seats in Parliament. According to one scholar, the elections were conducted "in as free and fair a manner as might be considered humanly possible under local conditions" and the losing candidates publicly accepted defeat. Around 5,070,000 people were registered to vote.
The Electoral Commissioner during the elections was Joseph Kingsley-Nyinah, an Appeal Court Judge who was appointed by the Supreme Military Council (SMC). Although the SMC was overthrown on 4 June 1979, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council military government which replaced it allowed the elections to proceed just two weeks later.
Results President
Parliament
Seats won by region PartyCentralAccraEasternAshantiBrong-AhafoVoltaNorthUpperWesternTotalPeople's National Party86112211715971Popular Front Party0161910041142United National Convention03410500013Action Congress Party70000000310Social Democratic Front0000003003Independents0000100001Total151021221316141613140Source: Jeffries
See also List of MPs elected in the 1979 Ghanaian parliamentary election
References