Ghana’s former president wins historic comeback election victory

Ex-president John Dramani Mahama returns on promise to lead country out of economic woes

A supporter of former Ghana president and presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party John Mahama wearing a t-shirt with the party's colours gestures (AFP via Getty Images)

Ghana’s former president John Dramani Mahama is set to make a stunning political comeback after the vice president conceded defeat in the presidential election overshadowed by concerns of a burgeoning economic crisis.

Former vice president Mahamudu Bawumia who was running for the top job conceded the defeat on Sunday even as no official results were declared.

"The people have voted for change," said Mr Bawumia, adding “Mahama has won the presidential election decisively.”

Mr Mahama, 65, who has a political career spanning over three decades in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) party was the country’s president from 2012 to 2017.

His election victory ended the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) eight-years-long grip on power, which was marked by the worst economic crisis in the West African state in recent years with a high cost of living and a debt default.

Mr Mahama called it an “emphatic victory” in a social media post as he confirmed he received a call from his NPP rival Mr Bawumia, who said he called him to congratulate him.

Ghana Vice President and ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate Mahamudu Bawumia casts his ballot (AFP via Getty Images)

“ I have, this morning, received a congratulatory call from my brother Dr @MBawumia, following my emphatic victory in Saturday’s election. Thank you, Ghana,” he said.

Supporters of Mr Mahama broke into celebration following the announcement as many hit the streets waving flags, blaring horns and cheering outside the party campaign headquarters in the capital of Accra.

Mr Mahama had won 56 per cent of the vote against 41 per cent for Mr Bawumia, the NDC earlier said, according to its internal results.

Former Ghana President and presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party, John Mahama (AFP via Getty Images)

The election for both the president and members of parliament was held against the backdrop of the country’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

It was seen as a litmus test for democracy in a region shaken by extremist violence and coups. West Africa’s regional bloc of ECOWAS said the election was generally peaceful, a continuing trend in Ghana.

Mr Bawumia, a UK-trained economist, struggled to resolve the economic crisis under outgoing President Akufo-Addo.

During the campaign trial, Mr Mahama promised to turn Ghana into a "24-hour economy" and said the election as a “defining moment” for Ghana.

The former president is “the only person” who can fix the ailing economy in Ghana, one of West Africa’s economic powerhouses, said Jude Agbemava, a policy analyst who voted for him.

Additional reporting by agencies