John Mahama triumphs over Mahamudu Bawumia

Official results from Saturday’s presidential election in Ghana have confirmed the victory of opposition candidate, former President John Mahama.

With results in from all of the country’s 16 regions, Mahama won with 56.6% against 41.6% for Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia.

It is the biggest margin of victory in 24 years.

Voter turnout was 60.9%, said the head of Ghana’s electoral commission, Jean Mensa.

Reacting to news of his official status as president-elect, Mahama was seen smiling and applauding surrounded by his family in footage shown on national television.

Later, he said he felt “humbled” that he and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) had “chalked one of the best results in the electoral history of Ghana”.

He vowed “a new beginning, a new direction” and noted that Ghana had “made history” by choosing its first female Vice-President, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.

He also thank Bawumia for conceding, which he did a day after the election.

The vice-president said he had accepted defeat before the official announcement of the results “to avoid further tension and preserve the peace of our country”.

Nevertheless, there was still some frustration that it took so long to announce the official results.

President Nana Akufo-Addo is stepping down after reaching the official limit of two terms in office.

This election comes amid the worst economic crisis in a generation.

Unemployment, the cost of living and concerns over the environmental impact of illegal gold mining, known as “galmasey”, were among the key issues.

With many Ghanaians desperate for a change, Mahama won several regions – including Bono, Ahafo, Western, and Central – which the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) had won in 2020.

Since Bawumia’s concession on Sunday, Mahama’s supporters have been celebrating across the country.

People have been cheering, waving flags, blowing horns and spinning motorbikes.

“I’m so excited for this victory,” Salifu Abdul-Fatawu told the BBC in the central city of Kumasi.

He said he hoped it would mean that he and his sibling would get jobs, while the price of food and fuel would come down.

Although the election was generally peaceful, two people were shot dead on Saturday in separate incidents.

The electoral commission office in the northern town of Damongo was also destroyed, allegedly by NDC supporters angry at the delays in announcing the results.

Mahama, 65, previously led Ghana from 2012 until 2017, when he was replaced by Akufo-Addo. Mahama also lost the 2020 election so this victory represents a stunning comeback.

Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the NPP have alternated in power since the return of multi-party politics to Ghana in 1992.

No party has ever won more than two consecutive terms in power – a trend that looks set to continue.

Mahama’s previous time in office was marred by an ailing economy, frequent power-cuts and corruption scandals.

However, Ghanaians hope it will be different this time round.

During the campaign, Mahama promised to transform Ghana into a “24-hour economy”.

The new president will be sworn in on 7 January 2025.

Additional reporting by Komla Adom in Kumasi