The Electoral Commission of Ghana has officially declared John Mahama, candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as the winner of the 2024 Presidential Election, following the late announcement on the evening of December 9, 2024.
The declaration was done by Jean Mensa, who is the chairperson of the commission and also serves as the returning officer for the presidential elections at the national level. “As a commission, we have fulfilled our vowed aspiration to have transparency at the heart of our operations”, she said as she declared the results.
Mahama, who previously served as Ghana’s president from 2012 to 2016, secured 56.55% of the vote, surpassing his main rival, Mahamudu Bawumia, the flag bearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) being 6,328,397 votes.
The election results were confirmed after a thorough review of the votes from across the country. According to the EC chair, the commission was unable to complete the collation process in 9 constituencies that were not included in the declared results.
Bawumia, who had initially been optimistic about his chances, conceded defeat promptly after the election closed on December 7, 2024.
His concession came in a heartfelt speech, where he acknowledged the will of the people and urged for a smooth and peaceful transition of power. In the speech, he expressed his congratulations to Mahama and called for unity in the country, urging Ghanaians to support the incoming administration for the betterment of the nation.
Bawumia’s swift acceptance of the result reflected his commitment to a peaceful transition and his respect for the democratic process.