ACCRA, Ghana

Former President John Dramani Mahama has been declared the winner of Ghana's 2024 presidential election, securing a decisive victory over his closest rival, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, after eight years out of office.

Electoral authorities in the West African country announced Mahama's victory on Monday, confirming he received nearly 6.33 million votes (56.55%) compared to Bawumia’s 4.66 million (41.61%).

This outcome marks Mahama’s return to the presidency after an eight-year hiatus, during which he faced two electoral defeats.

The elections, held on Saturday, saw a voter turnout of 60%, a significant drop from 78.89% in 2020, reflecting voter disillusionment with the state of the economy under the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Vice President Bawumia, the NPP candidate, conceded defeat on Sunday, even before the official results. He congratulated Mahama in a phone call, pledging to support a smooth transition.

Mahama, representing the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), thanked Ghanaians for their trust.

Campaign shaped by economic concerns

Mahama’s campaign resonated with voters by focusing on Ghana’s economic crisis, characterized by rising inflation, a depreciating currency, and soaring public debt. He accused the NPP administration, under President Nana Akufo-Addo and Bawumia, of mismanagement.

“This mandate represents many things for all political actors. It shows that Ghanaians have very little tolerance for bad governance," said Mahama in a victory speech late Monday.

This is Mahama’s second electoral victory, following his 2012-2017 presidency. He previously lost to Akufo-Addo in 2016 and 2020, but this year’s campaign leveraged widespread discontent with the NPP government to secure a historic comeback.

The NDC also gained a parliamentary majority, with preliminary results showing that two-thirds of the 276 seats went to the party.

Challenges and transition

Despite Mahama’s emphatic win, the election was not without challenges. Incidents of violence at some polling stations resulted in fatalities, raising concerns about electoral security.

Nonetheless, international observers praised the overall conduct of the elections, commending electoral authority’s transparency.

Mahama’s victory underscores Ghanaians’ demand for change as the country grapples with its worst economic crisis in decades. He is set to be sworn in on Jan. 7, as Akufo-Addo’s term ends.

Mahama has promised to prioritize economic recovery, job creation, and infrastructure development, as well as investigate alleged mismanagement of state resources by the outgoing administration.

Many Ghanaians believe Mahama’s return presents an opportunity to rebuild Ghana’s economy and restore public trust in governance.