Opposition candidate John Mahama declared victory in Ghana’s presidential election on Sunday, after ruling party candidate and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia conceded defeat. Bawumia acknowledged that Mahama had won the presidency “decisively.”
Mahama, the leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), secured a historic comeback on his third attempt to reclaim the presidency. The former president had unsuccessfully sought a return to office in two previous elections.
His victory marks a significant milestone, as he becomes the first president in Ghana’s Fourth Republic, since the 1992 return to multi-party democracy, to reclaim the presidency after being voted out.
Mahama triumphed over Vice President Bawumia, who represented the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). The economic crisis, particularly Ghana’s debt default and the subsequent $3 billion IMF bailout, became a central issue during the election.
At 66, Mahama, who served as president from 2012 to 2017, promised to “reset” Ghana’s economy, renegotiate aspects of the IMF deal, and introduce a “24-hour” economy to address the urgent need for jobs, a critical concern for younger voters.
This victory signals a turning point in Ghana’s political landscape, as Mahama capitalized on widespread economic frustrations to win the election.
AFP
