Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama has staged a political comeback by profitable the West African nation’s presidential election after his rival Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia conceded defeat on Sunday.
The results of Ghana’s basic election is one other blow to a ruling occasion in a area the place voters, hit by financial hardship, excessive inflation and native forex depreciation, have brought about upsets as they search modifications in management. Mahama, 66, who served as Ghana’s president from 2012 to 2016, framed Bawumia as representing a continuation of the insurance policies that led to Ghana’s worst financial disaster in a era.
The world’s second largest cocoa grower, and main gold-producing nation, reached a cope with the Worldwide Financial Fund final yr for a $3 billion bailout after it defaulted on most of its worldwide debt.
“I’ve, this morning, acquired a congratulatory name from my brother Dr. Bawumia, following my emphatic victory in Saturday’s election. Thanks, Ghana,” Mahama mentioned in a publish on X social media.
Addressing a press convention from his residence, Bawumia mentioned he known as Mahama to congratulate him, including that Mahama’s Nationwide Democratic Congress (NDC) additionally gained the parliamentary election. “The info from our personal inner collation of the election outcomes point out that former President John Dramani Mahama has gained the presidential election decisively,” Bawumia mentioned, including that NDC additionally gained the parliamentary election.
Bawumia mentioned he conceded earlier than the official consequence to ease tensions.
Earlier than his concession, scuffles had been reported in a number of native constituency centres the place outcomes had been nonetheless arriving from polling stations.
“I’m making this concession speech earlier than the official announcement by the Electoral Fee to keep away from additional stress and protect the peace of our nation,” Bawumia mentioned. “It is vital that the world investor group continues to imagine within the peaceable and democratic character of Ghana,” he added.
A whole bunch of NDC supporters took to the streets of the capital Accra on Sunday to rejoice after Bawumia conceded defeat.
Early outcomes had proven Mahama and the NDC occasion with a commanding lead. Pleasure Information reported that Mahama was main with over 53% of the vote to Bawumia’s 45.16% after provisional outcomes from 68 out of a complete 276 constituencies had been counted.
In a information convention on Sunday earlier than Bawumia conceded, Sammy Gyamfi, nationwide spokesperson for the NDC, mentioned provisional internally collated outcomes by occasion brokers from 38,896 out of the whole 40,976 polling stations confirmed Mahama was main with round 56%.
He mentioned the occasion appeared on monitor to win round 185 out of 276 seats in Parliament.
