Voting has commenced in most polling stations across the country. Some prospective voters have had to spend the night at their respective polling stations just to exercise their franchise.

There has been a crunch meeting between the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), and the Northern Regional Security Council over challenges in the on-going voting exercise.

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), has called on the Electoral Commission to as a matter of urgency, reach an agreement with the principal stakeholders in the ongoing elections before results are finally declared.

With barely an hour to close polls, the New Patriotic Party has mandated four leading party members to speak on its behalf on matters relating to the elections.

Some suspected “NPP thugs” on Friday besieged the offices of the National Disaster Management Organization or NADMO, coordinator of the state-run relief agency has said.

Counting is currently underway in Ghana's 2012 Presidential and legislative elections held December 7.

Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the deputy campaign coordinator for President John Mahama, has spoken on behalf of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), saying the party supports the Electoral CommissionÂ’s (EC) decision to adjourn voting until Saturday.

Constitutional lawyer Yoni Kulendi is cautioning the Electoral Commission not to succumb to pressure from people who are suggesting that voters be allowed to cast their ballot even if the biometric verification machine is unable to identify them.

Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia, has suggested that the EC count and declare the results of votes cast in polling stations where voting has been postponed.

The General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has pointed accusing fingers at civil society organisations for the challenges the voter verification system is facing.

The Electoral Commission has directed that voting be adjourned to Saturday, December 8, 2012 where voting could not proceed because verification machines failed to function effectively.

Abu Jinapor, aide to New Patriotic Party presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, has told Joy news that President John Mahama’s comments about voting without verification are “unfortunate”.

The NPP condemns in the strongest possible terms, the blatant interference with the electoral process perpetrated by the NDC presidential candidate, John Mahama. Mr Mahama has no right to state publicly that verification machines should be bypassed. That is a direct contravention of CI 75 and is unconstitutional.

Institute for Democratic Governance - Civic Forum Initiative (IDEG-CFI) have directed the Electoral Commission to ensure the provision of adequate lighting in all areas to ensure counting is done peacefully.

The Electoral Commission has given a window of opportunity to electorate who did not get the opportunity to cast their ballots on Friday due to technical challenges.

Voting has officially closed in Ghana's 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections and counting is underway at polling centres that have not encountered any technical challenges.

Tension is rising in the northern region as the two major political parties- National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party haggle over whether or not to allow voters to cast their ballot without being verified by the machine.

When electoral materials arrived at the Redeemer School in the Anyaa/Sowutuom constituency at 8:15, there were no Electoral Commission officials present to take charge of the materials.

Police in the Ashanti Region have denied reports of ballot box snatching in the region.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has observed that for an election which started seven hours late in some polling stations, the EC has a duty to ensure that all qualified voters willing and able to vote are facilitated to cast their votes.