2024 Election Live Results: Former President Mahama Wins Election; Dr. Bawumia Concedes Defeat

Ghana’s struggling economy dominated the election, after the West Africa gold and cacao producer faced a debt default, devaluation and high inflation, a crisis that ended in a $3 billion IMF bailout.

Voters were choosing a successor to Bawumia’s boss, President Nana Akufo-Addo, who steps down after serving the maximum of two four-year terms. They also elected a new parliament. NDC spokesman Sammy Gyamfi told reporters the party’s internal review of results showed Mahama had won 56.3 percent of the vote against 41.3 percent for Bawumia.

“It is very clear the people of this country have voted for change,” Gyamfi said. Local broadcaster ChannelOne TV said its tally of results with 42 of Ghana’s 276 constituencies counted showed Mahama was ahead of Bawumia.

Political parties have agents at every polling station to observe and tally the initial vote counts before the ballots are sent for official collation by the election commission.

Earlier, Commission Deputy Commissioner Bossman Asare told reporters tallying was still ongoing and regional results had yet to arrive at the national centre.

The commission had said official results were likely due by Tuesday. Bawumia, also conceded defeat through the media as he called to congratulate the former President. Voting proceeded relatively peacefully. However, one person was slain in the north, and another in the center region, according to Ghana police.

Ghana’s two main parties, the NPP and NDC, have alternated in power on an equal basis since the restoration to multi-party politics in 1992.

Using the slogan “Break the 8″—a reference to two terms in power—Bawumia aimed to lead the NPP to an unprecedented third term. However, he failed to move away from criticism of Akufo-Addo’s economic record. Though inflation has decreased from more than 50% to roughly 23%, and other macroeconomic indicators are stabilizing, economic hardships remain a major electoral concern for many.

That frustration paved the ground for Mahama to mount a return campaign, having served as president from 2012 to 2017 but failing twice in subsequent presidential runs.

Former President John Mahama Wins Election – Watch Video 

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