The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, praised the political culture in Ghana for discouraging frequent party defections among politicians, unlike in Nigeria where it is common practice.
He commended Ghana’s commitment to political party loyalty and frowned upon selfish motives for changing allegiance.
Yakubu highlighted Ghana’s stable electoral process and innovative approaches as key factors in the successful conduct of the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Following the election, reports from Nigeria revealed that Ghana’s ex-president, John Dramani Mahama, emerged victorious over Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) after a concession of defeat.
Briefing newsmen at his residence, Bawumia said Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) also won the parliamentary election.
The VP confirmed that he had called his opponent, Mahama, to congratulate him.
“The people of Ghana have spoken and they have voted for change at this time. We respect this with all humility,” Bawumia said.
The defeat in Saturday’s election ends two terms in power for the governing party under Nana Akufo-Addo, marked by Ghana’s worst economic crisis in years, involving high inflation and a debt default.
The INEC chairman monitored the election, alongside Yiaga Africa observers and spoke in a short video, noted the political stability inherent in Ghana’s democracy, and the consistency of its political party structures and voter loyalty.
