Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia conceded defeat Sunday to opposition leader John Dramani Mahama in Ghana’s presidential election, as voters rejected the ruling party’s handling of the nation’s worst economic crisis in a generation.
“I’ve just called His Excellency John Mahama to congratulate him as president-elect of the Republic of Ghana,” Bawumia announced at his Accra residence, ahead of official results. Mahama, 65, who previously served as president from 2012 to 2017, described his victory as “emphatic” on social media.
Celebrations erupted across the capital as supporters wearing the opposition National Democratic Congress’s white, green, red and black colors danced to music and trumpet blasts. The party also secured a parliamentary majority, strengthening Mahama’s mandate to implement his promised economic “reset.”
“I think it has to do with the economy, which is largely a bread and butter issue for every Ghanaian,” said Seidu Alidu, head of political science at Ghana’s University of Legon. The election reflects global trends favoring opposition parties against incumbents struggling with economic challenges.
The vote, conducted amid West Africa’s regional instability, tested Ghana’s democratic traditions. Policy analyst Jude Agbemava called Mahama “the only person” capable of fixing Ghana’s troubled economy, while Alidu noted the result stemmed from public dissatisfaction with government transparency during the crisis.
