John Dramani Mahama Declared President-Elect in 2024 Elections

John Dramani Mahama Declared President-Elect in 2024 ElectionsJean Mensa, Chairperson of Ghana's Electoral Commission (EC), has officially declared John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the president-elect following the December 7, 2024, general elections. This marks a resounding return for the former president, who secured a landslide victory in the national polls.In announcing the results, Jean Mensa confirmed that Mr. Mahama garnered 6,328,397 votes, representing 56.55% of the total valid votes. His closest competitor, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), obtained 4,657,304 votes, amounting to 41.61%.The results were based on data collated from 267 constituencies, with nine constituencies yet to be officially declared due to unresolved issues. However, Mensa clarified that even if all outstanding votes from these constituencies—estimated at over 947,000—were allocated to Dr. Bawumia, the outcome of the election would remain unchanged. The vote difference of 1,671,093 ensures Mr. Mahama's decisive win.The EC also announced that the total valid votes cast were 11,191,422, with rejected ballots numbering 239,109. Out of a total voter register of 18,774,159, the turnout stood at 60.9%.Parliamentary Majority for the NDCIn addition to the presidential victory, the NDC has secured a clear majority in parliament, with many constituencies already declared in their favor. However, some seats remain contested due to disagreements over results.Election Day ChallengesAlthough voting began peacefully on December 7, incidents of violence and disruptions occurred during the collation of results. Reports indicate that post-election chaos led to the loss of three lives, with several others injured. Police have arrested 89 individuals for election-related offenses.Calls for PeaceThe National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, urged supporters to refrain from causing disturbances. Similarly, Salam Mohammed Mustapha, the National Youth Organizer of the NPP, condemned acts of violence and called on law enforcement agencies to maintain order.Minor Parties and Independent CandidatesVotes for minor parties and independent candidates in the presidential election were as follows:GCPP (Daniel Augustus Lartey Jnr.): 16,673 (0.15%)GUM (Christian Kwabena Andrews): 16,461 (0.15%)LPG (Kofi Akpalo): 5,219 (0.09%)NDP (Mohammed Frimpong): 4,413 (0.04%)CPP (Nana Akosua Frimpomaa): 23,397 (0.21%)ACP (Hassan Ayariga): 17,461 (0.6%)Independent Candidates: Votes ranged from 3,091 (George Twum-Barima-Adu) to 84,488 (Nana Kwame Bediako, 0.75%).As Ghana prepares for the transition, the EC emphasized its commitment to completing the collation of outstanding results and ensuring a smooth electoral process. Both local and international observers have urged all parties to uphold peace and focus on strengthening Ghana's democratic stability.