Ghana’s Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has accepted defeat in Saturday’s election and congratulated the opposition candidate, former President John Mahama, on his victory.
“The people have voted for change,” said Bawumia.
The elections come amid the country’s worst economic crisis in a generation, which saw the cost of basic goods shoot up, while young people struggled to get jobs and the country was unable to repay its debts.
Despite Bawumia’s concession, no official results have been declared.
The US embassy in the capital, Accra, has congratulated Ghana on “a successful election”.
President Nana Akufo-Addo is stepping down after reaching the official limit of two terms in office.
Mahama, 65, previously led Ghana from 2012 until 2017, when he was replaced by Akufo-Addo. Mahama also lost the 2020 election so this victory represents a stunning comeback.
Since the return of multi-party politics to Ghana in 1992, the NDC and the NPP have alternated in power.
No party has ever won more than two consecutive terms in power – a trend that looks set to continue.
Mahama’s previous time in office was marred by an ailing economy, frequent power-cuts and corruption scandals.
However, Ghanaians hope it will be different this time round.
During the campaign, Mahama promised to transform Ghana into a “24-hour economy”.
In Tamale, NDC supporter Gajia One told the BBC: “We handed over to them [NPP] and thought they could manage the country well, but they have failed, and we take over again.”
“John Mahama is the right man to rule this country. We are fed up.”
The new president will be sworn in on 7 January 2025.
President Nana Akufo-Addo is stepping down after reaching the official limit of two terms in office.
In Tamale, NDC supporter Gajia One told the BBC: “We handed over to them [NPP] and thought they could manage the country well, but they have failed, and we take over again.”
“John Mahama is the right man to rule this country. We are fed up.”
The new president will be sworn in on 7 January 2025.
Reported by BBC
