Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia concedes defeat, congratulates former President John Mahama.
John Mahama holds a Ghanaian flag as he waves to supporters during his final election campaign rally in Accra on December 5 [Zohra Bensemra/Reuters]
Published On 8 Dec 2024
Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama has won the country’s presidential election after his main opponent, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat.
“The people of Ghana have spoken, the people have voted for change at this time and we respect it with all humility,” Bawumia said in a news conference on Sunday.
The defeat in Saturday’s election ends two terms in power for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Akufo-Addo, marked by Ghana’s worst economic crisis in years, involving high inflation and a debt default.
Bawumia said he called Mahama, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to congratulate him.
Earlier, NDC spokesman Sammy Gyamfi told reporters the party’s internal review of results showed Mahama won 56.3 percent of the vote against 41.3 percent for Bawumia.
“It is very clear the people of this country have voted for change,” Gyamfi said.
Supporters of John Mahama celebrate in Accra [Olympia de Maismont/AFP]
The vice president said Mahama won the presidency “decisively”.
The NDC won the parliamentary election, according to the NPP’s internal tally of votes.
Mahama, who was president of Ghana between July 2012 and January 2017, confirmed on X he had received Bawumia’s congratulatory call over his “emphatic victory”.
Blaring horns and cheering, the 65-year-old’s supporters were already gathering and celebrating outside the party campaign headquarters in the capital, Accra.
During his campaign, he promised to “reset” the country on various fronts and tried to appeal to young Ghanaians.
His win marks a historic victory, making him the first president in the three decades of Ghana’s Fourth Republic – since the 1992 return to multi-party democracy – to reclaim the presidency after being voted out.
Ghana’s economic woes dominated the election after the gold and cacao producer went through a crisis of default and currency devaluation, ending with a $3bn International Monetary Fund bailout.
On corruption, Mahama vowed during the campaign that he will create a new office tasked with scrutinising government procurement above a $5m threshold.
He said unchecked procurement processes are a major source of corruption.
But Mahama also voiced support for the anti-LGBTQ bill passed by Ghana’s parliament in February but which is yet to be signed into law and has sparked international criticism.
Ghana’s election commission had said official results were likely due by Tuesday.
With a history of democratic stability, Ghana’s two main parties, the NPP and NDC, have alternated in power equally since the return to multi-party politics in 1992.
The vice president said Mahama won the presidency “decisively”.
The NDC won the parliamentary election, according to the NPP’s internal tally of votes.
Mahama, who was president of Ghana between July 2012 and January 2017, confirmed on X he had received Bawumia’s congratulatory call over his “emphatic victory”.
Blaring horns and cheering, the 65-year-old’s supporters were already gathering and celebrating outside the party campaign headquarters in the capital, Accra.
During his campaign, he promised to “reset” the country on various fronts and tried to appeal to young Ghanaians.
His win marks a historic victory, making him the first president in the three decades of Ghana’s Fourth Republic – since the 1992 return to multi-party democracy – to reclaim the presidency after being voted out.
Ghana’s economic woes dominated the election after the gold and cacao producer went through a crisis of default and currency devaluation, ending with a $3bn International Monetary Fund bailout.
On corruption, Mahama vowed during the campaign that he will create a new office tasked with scrutinising government procurement above a $5m threshold.
He said unchecked procurement processes are a major source of corruption.
But Mahama also voiced support for the anti-LGBTQ bill passed by Ghana’s parliament in February but which is yet to be signed into law and has sparked international criticism.
Ghana’s election commission had said official results were likely due by Tuesday.
With a history of democratic stability, Ghana’s two main parties, the NPP and NDC, have alternated in power equally since the return to multi-party politics in 1992.
Ghana Election: Ministers, incumbents lose parliamentary seats
By Jimisayo Opanuga
08 December 2024 |
Ghana’s communications minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has lost her parliamentary seat in the Ablekuma West constituency to Reverend Kweku Addo of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Ursula, who had served in parliament since 2012, garnered 26,575 votes, while Reverend Addo won with 31,866 votes. The result was announced by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) returning officer, with a total of 58,441 valid votes cast.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful
Tourism Minister Andrew Egyapa Mercer, a prominent figure in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), also lost his seat in the Sekondi constituency to Blay Nyameke Armah of the NDC. Mercer, who had represented the area since 2016, received 11,084 votes, while Armah secured 14,558 votes.
In his victory speech, Armah thanked his constituents, stating, “This win is for the whole constituency and we will rebuild Sekondi together.”
Tourism Minister Andrew Egyapa Mercer, a prominent figure in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), also lost his seat in the Sekondi constituency to Blay Nyameke Armah of the NDC. Mercer, who had represented the area since 2016, received 11,084 votes, while Armah secured 14,558 votes.
In his victory speech, Armah thanked his constituents, stating, “This win is for the whole constituency and we will rebuild Sekondi together.”
Andrew Egyapa Mercer
Interior Minister Henry Quartey lost his seat in the Ayawaso Central constituency to Abdul Rauf Tubazu of the NDC. Quartey, who had previously served as the Greater Accra Regional Minister, received 23,345 votes, while Tubazu won with 29,755 votes.
Tubazu expressed his confidence in the victory, saying, “This win is sweet, and we will work for the people.”
Interior Minister Henry Quartey lost his seat in the Ayawaso Central constituency to Abdul Rauf Tubazu of the NDC. Quartey, who had previously served as the Greater Accra Regional Minister, received 23,345 votes, while Tubazu won with 29,755 votes.
Tubazu expressed his confidence in the victory, saying, “This win is sweet, and we will work for the people.”
Interior Minister Henry Quartey
Victory for an independent candidate
Meanwhile, in the Ashanti region, independent candidate, Ohene Kwame Frimpong, shocked many by winning the Asante Akim North seat.
Frimpong secured over 18,000 votes, far surpassing the incumbent NPP candidate Andy Appiah Kubi, who only received 8,933 votes.
Victory for an independent candidate
Meanwhile, in the Ashanti region, independent candidate, Ohene Kwame Frimpong, shocked many by winning the Asante Akim North seat.
Frimpong secured over 18,000 votes, far surpassing the incumbent NPP candidate Andy Appiah Kubi, who only received 8,933 votes.
Ohene Kwame Frimpong
During the election process, power outages occurred at two collation centres, Ayawaso North and Madina, causing delays and tension among supporters. The Electoral Commission confirmed that efforts were being made to restore the power.
Additionally, police arrested a polling station agent for double voting in the Wassa Akropong-Appiahkrom polling station in the Western region, while another individual was detained in Okaikwei South for carrying a weapon at the St. Theresa school polling station. In the Bono East region, an Electoral Commission official was also arrested.
The election results and incidents highlight the growing intensity of the parliamentary race in Ghana as power shifts within the constituencies.
During the election process, power outages occurred at two collation centres, Ayawaso North and Madina, causing delays and tension among supporters. The Electoral Commission confirmed that efforts were being made to restore the power.
Additionally, police arrested a polling station agent for double voting in the Wassa Akropong-Appiahkrom polling station in the Western region, while another individual was detained in Okaikwei South for carrying a weapon at the St. Theresa school polling station. In the Bono East region, an Electoral Commission official was also arrested.
The election results and incidents highlight the growing intensity of the parliamentary race in Ghana as power shifts within the constituencies.
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