Ghanaian

..As Nigerian President looks forward to bilateral ties

.They have set high standards for democracy in Africa—Fayemi

.INEC chair commends Ghana’s election

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated President-elect John Dramani Mahama on his victory in the December 7 general election in Ghana, following his opponent’s concession speech.

According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Tinubu in a telephone call to Mahama, hoped the latter’s ascension to power for the second time would further bring stability to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which President Tinubu is the chairman.

John Dramani Mahama, the leader of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), was declared the winner of Ghana’s 2024 presidential elections on Sunday.

The victory marked a significant political shift, as Mahama unseats the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government led by President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo.

The Electoral Commission of Ghana announced Mahama’s triumph after a hotly contested election that saw millions of Ghanaians head to the polls on December 7.

Preliminary results indicated that Mahama secured a majority of the votes, signaling widespread support for the NDC’s vision of change.

In his victory speech, Mahama expressed gratitude to Ghanaians for their confidence in his leadership.

“This victory belongs to every Ghanaian who believes in the power of democracy and the promise of a better future,” he said.

“Together, we will rebuild trust in our institutions, revive the economy, and ensure that no one is left behind.”

The campaign period was marked by debates over economic policies, job creation, and corruption, with Mahama promising reforms to tackle unemployment and revive key sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.

His message resonated strongly with young voters and rural communities, who had expressed frustration over rising costs of living and limited opportunities.

The victory is also a personal comeback for Mahama, who served as president from 2012 to 2017 but lost his re-election bid in 2016.

His return to power underscores a shift in public sentiment, as many Ghanaians appear ready to embrace his leadership once again.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, the ruling party’s presidential candidate, has conceded defeat in the elections and congratulated Mahama.

In a concession speech delivered on Sunday, Mr Bawumia, the candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), stated that internal data from his party indicates that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has secured victory in both the presidential and parliamentary polls.

Local and international observers have largely described the election as free and fair, praising Ghana’s strong democratic traditions.

Observers are now closely watching how Mahama will navigate the transition period and assemble a government capable of fulfilling his campaign promises.

In his reaction, President Tinubu commended the people of Ghana for their commitment to democracy, which was demonstrated through the peaceful and successful conduct of both the presidential and parliamentary elections.

He applauded Ghanaians for demonstrating again to the world that democracy is the preferred path to achieving political stability, economic development, social justice, and transparent governance in Africa.

He affirmed that Nigeria’s and the region’s belief in the principles of the people’s right to choose their leaders freely will remain a source of pride.

The Nigerian leader applauded the candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for conceding defeat before the official announcement by Ghana’s Electoral Commission.

President Tinubu said Bawumia’s stance reinforced Ghana’s democratic ethos.

President Tinubu noted that President-elect Mahama’s return to Jubilee House, having served as President from 2012 to 2017, reflects the Ghanaian people’s trust in his stewardship and vision to take the country to greater heights.

The President looks forward to working with President Mahama’s incoming administration to strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors and build a brighter future in the West Africa region.

.They have set high standards for democracy in Africa—Fayemi

Meanwhile, The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State and a former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has congratulated Ghana’s President-elect, John Mahama, on his victory in the country’s recent general elections.

Fayemi, in a statement released on Sunday, and signed by Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, Head of Fayemi Media,lauded Ghana’s political process as a shining example of democracy in Africa, while also commending  the presidential candidate of the incumbent New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for his gracious concession speech.

“Dr. Bawumia’s acceptance of the electoral outcome in the spirit of peace and national unity exemplifies the very best of African political leadership,” Fayemi said, describing the act as a demonstration of political maturity and respect for democratic values.

Fayemi, who described himself as a friend of both men, praised Mahama’s victory, stating, “This triumph reflects the trust and confidence the people of Ghana have in his leadership and vision for their country.”

Highlighting the significance of Bawumia’s concession, he added, “Dr. Bawumia’s decision to place the interest of Ghana above personal ambition reinforces the values of democracy and demonstrates a maturity that will undoubtedly serve as a model for political actors across the continent.”

Fayemi urged African politicians to draw lessons from Ghana’s example, stressing the importance of respecting the will of the electorate and allowing democratic institutions to function independently.

“As Africans, we must draw lessons from Ghana’s example. The supremacy of the people’s will is the cornerstone of democracy, and the desire to serve must always align with the mandate freely given by the electorate, not through coercion or manipulation,” he said.

He further commended Ghana for setting high standards, saying, “Ghana has set high standards by proving that democracy can thrive in Africa when institutions are allowed to function independently and political actors prioritise the collective good over individual aspirations.”

Fayemi called on political actors across the continent to emulate the conduct of both Mahama and Bawumia, stating that their actions have deepened Ghana’s democratic culture and solidified its position as a beacon of hope for Africa.

“As Nigeria and other African nations continue to strengthen their democratic foundations, the Ghanaian experience provides a blueprint for conducting elections that are credible, peaceful, and reflective of the people’s choice,” Fayemi added.

.INEC chair commends Ghana’s election

However, The Chairman, the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on Sunday, commended Ghana’s electoral process, highlighting its innovations and political stability as key factors in the smooth conduct of its 2024 presidential election.

Ghana’s ex-president John Mahama won the country’s presidential election held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, after his main opponent, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat.

The VP confirmed that he had called his opponent, Mahama — the National Democratic Congress candidate and former president — to congratulate him, saying in a statement, “The people of Ghana have spoken and they have voted for change at this time. We respect this with all humility.”

According to AFP, the Election Commission said the official results were likely to be announced by Tuesday.

Yakubu, who monitored the election and spoke in a short video obtained by our correspondent, observed the political stability inherent in Ghana’s democracy, noting the consistency of its political party structures and voter loyalty.

Yakubu cited the perseverance of the main opposition candidate, a former vice president and the current President, Nana Akufo-Addo who contested multiple elections before achieving success.

“Rarely in Ghana do you see people moving from one party to another with every general election. So, that is important.

“It provides stability. It also provides their supporters (with) stability. So, there are people who have supported political parties for many years. So, whether the party is in power or opposition, they stick to the political party,” he added.

The INEC boss also noted that Ghana’s approach to managing results at the constituency level, inspired by Nigeria, has improved the efficiency of the electoral process.

Previously, all parliamentary and presidential results were sent to the headquarters of the Electoral Commission in Accra for announcement.

However, Ghana has adopted a decentralised system, allowing constituency-level officers to announce parliamentary results locally while only presidential results are sent to Accra.

“The second thing for me is the lesson that Ghana also learned from Nigeria in the area of managing constituency election results. Until the last election in Ghana, all results come to the Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Accra; which is parliamentary and presidential.

“Although Ghana is not a federal system, they learnt from Nigeria where you have returning officers who announce results for parliamentary elections in the various constituencies around the country. Only the presidential election results come to Accra.

“In Nigeria, this is what we have done and they borrowed a leave from us, and this is the second time they are implementing that. That is why, as you can see, the result of the presidential election declaration was a lot faster than it used to be in the past,” he explained.

Expressing satisfaction with the process, Yakubu stated, “We are grateful that the election has gone very well. The process and its outcome so far have been commendable, and we continue to support our colleagues in Ghana’s Electoral Commission.”

The defeat in Saturday’s election ends two terms in power for the governing New Patriotic Party under Akufo-Addo, marked by Ghana’s worst economic crisis in years, involving high inflation and a debt default.

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