Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama has staged a political comeback by winning the West African nation’s presidential election after his rival Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia conceded defeat on Sunday. Addressing a press conference from his residence, Bawumia said he had called Mahama to congratulate him, adding that Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) also won the parliamentary election.
“Let me say that the data from our own internal collation of the election results indicate that former President John Dramani Mahama has won the Presidential election decisively,” Bawumia said. “The NDC has also won the parliamentary election. Even though we await the final collation of a number of seats, I believe ultimately these will not change the outcome.”
Bawumia said he conceded before the official results to ease tensions. “I am making this concession speech before the official announcement by the Electoral Commission to avoid further tension and preserve the peace of our country,” Bawumia said. “It is important that the world investor community continues to believe in the peaceful and democratic character of Ghana.”
The Electoral Commission is expected to release final results in the coming days. Mahama, who served as president from 2012 to 2016, has positioned himself as a candidate who can address the country’s economic challenges, particularly the crisis that led to a major debt default in 2022 and a subsequent $3 billion International Monetary Fund bailout.
On his X account, Mahama confirmed he had received Bawumia’s congratulatory call. “I have, this morning, received a congratulatory call from my brother Dr @MBawumia, following my emphatic victory in Saturday’s election,” Mahama said. “Thank you, Ghana.”
Before his concession, scuffles had been reported in several local constituency centers where results were still arriving from polling stations. “Our verification machines were effective, and the entire process was largely peaceful, except for a few places where violence occurred, leading to the death of one person,” Benjamin Bano-Bio, Director of Electoral Services, told a news conference.
Mahama’s win was marked by celebrations in Accra’s historic Jamestown, where jubilant NDC supporters took to the streets chanting and banging pans. Mahama’s campaign focused on a message of change and addressing economic recovery through renegotiation of IMF terms, while Bawumia emphasized gradual economic recovery with a strong focus on Ghana’s growth prospects.
As the votes were counted, the electoral commission reported that over 99% of polling stations had opened on time, with voting materials delivered efficiently. However, final turnout figures were still being processed. Approximately 18.7 million of Ghana’s 34 million population are registered to vote.