EC Officially Declares John Mahama President -Elect

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has officially announced John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the president-elect following the 2024 general elections.

The elections, held nationwide on Saturday, December 7, resulted in a significant victory for former President Mahama. According to the EC, he received 6,328,397 votes, which accounts for 56.55% of the total, while Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the vice president and candidate from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), garnered 4,657,304 votes, representing 41.61%.

Overall, there were 11,191,422 valid votes cast, with 239,109 ballots rejected, leading to a total of 11,430,531 votes cast. Voter turnout was reported at 60.9% across 267 constituencies.

During this election cycle, Ghanaians also voted for new Members of Parliament (MPs) as part of their constitutional rights. Despite some parliamentary seats still pending due to disputes, the NDC has secured enough seats to hold a clear majority in parliament.

While the voting process began peacefully on Saturday morning, it later descended into chaos in certain areas due to allegations of attempted rigging and delays in result collation in some constituencies. The unrest has resulted in three fatalities and numerous injuries. The Ghana Police Service has arrested 89 individuals for various election-related offenses.

At a press conference, Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, urged supporters to refrain from any violent actions. In a separate press conference, Salam Mohammed Mustapha, the National Youth Organizer of the NPP, condemned the behavior of NDC supporters and called on the police to take swift action to prevent further disturbances.

Earlier, his main contender Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat.“The people of Ghana have spoken, the people have voted for change at this time and we respect it with all humility,” Bawumia said in a news conference on Sunday.

Dr. Bawumia acknowledged the provisional results from his party’s internal collation, which show a victory for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its candidate, former President John Dramani Mahama. He confirmed that he had reached out to Mr. Mahama to congratulate him as Ghana’s President-elect.
During his remarks, Dr. Bawumia noted, “I said during the signing of the peace pact that I was sure of two things: Ghana will win, and peace will reign.” He emphasized, “The people of Ghana have spoken. They have voted for change at this time, and we respect that decision with all humility.”
Stressing the importance of maintaining peace and democratic integrity in Ghana, Dr. Bawumia explained that his decision to concede before the official announcement was intended to ease tensions and uphold the country’s reputation as a beacon of democracy in Africa. “It is crucial for the global investor community to continue believing in Ghana’s peaceful and democratic nature. These are our most valuable assets,” he stated, reaffirming his commitment to the nation over personal political ambitions.

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Dr. Bawumia expressed pride in his campaign efforts and gratitude to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their support, acknowledging the electoral outcome as part of the democratic process. “We put our best foot forward in the contest, presenting our policies and programs. However, voters sometimes have different ideas,” he observed.
The Vice President committed to supporting a smooth transition to the new government and assured Ghanaians that the NPP would take a constructive approach as the opposition. “We will not be a disruptive opposition, but we will rigorously scrutinize government actions and policies in the interest of our beloved nation,” he declared.
Addressing NPP supporters directly, Dr. Bawumia recognized their disappointment but urged them to remain hopeful. “I assure you that we will regroup and return even stronger. We may have lost this battle, but not the war.”