Rawlings reduced his participation in the poll to a one sentence tweet to the candidates and party, wishing them his ‘best’ and calling for integrity, transparency and fairness.

Somehow though, word had gone out that the party founder would be voting at the party headquarters in Adabraka, Accra at about 11am, a rumour that got many media practitioners rushing there.

But they were disappointed as Rawlings never showed up.

When pressed for what may have kept the ‘old man’ out of the race, a source close to Rawlings told Graphic Online that he wanted to remain as neutral as ever and decided to stay away from the polls.