Political Correspondent
Ghana’s Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has conceded defeat in the country’s Presidential election, congratulating opposition candidate and former President John Mahama on his victory.
Bawumia acknowledged that the people of Ghana voted for change, and he respects that decision with all humility.
The election comes amid Ghana’s worst economic crisis in a generation, with rising costs of basic goods, unemployment, and debt repayment issues.
Despite Bawumia’s concession, official results have not been declared yet, with the Electoral Commission citing delays due to party supporters impeding the process.
Mahama’s supporters have taken to the streets, celebrating with cheers, flags, vuvuzelas, and motorbike spins. One supporter, Salifu Abdul-Fatawu, expressed excitement about the potential for jobs and lower prices for food and fuel.
Even some NPP supporters have expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s performance, with one saying,
“My party is NPP, but whatever they did was not good. The system was so bad in an election year and so most people were not happy”.
Bawumia based his concession on internal tallies from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), showing Mahama won decisively, with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) also winning the parliamentary election.
Mahama confirmed that Bawumia had called to congratulate him on his “emphatic victory”.
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 and lost the 2020 election, making this victory a stunning comeback.
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