The National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by former President John Mahama, has won Ghana’s presidential election held on Saturday, just as the candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat to Mahama.
In a concession speech delivered on Sunday, Bawumia acknowledged that internal data from his party indicates the NDC has secured victory in both the presidential and parliamentary polls.
“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 in the speech.
“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.
“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.
“It is important that the world investor community continues to believe in the peaceful and democratic character of Ghana.”
Though the country’s Electoral Commission (EC) has not yet announced the final results which it said had been delayed because supporters of the two main parties were impeding the process and it had asked the police to clear the collation centres, Bawumia said he has no choice but to concede defeat.
Mahama who is making a return to the presidency of Ghana which he led from 2012 until 2017 when he was defeated by Nana Akufo-Addo, is expected to take office as president in January 2025.