The 2024 presidential and parliamentary election in Ghana was touted as one of the most crucial polls in the country’s history. The lead-up to the election did not disappoint, with predictions, prophecies, and controversies creating a charged atmosphere as the presidential candidates engaged in heated exchanges.
As expected, the December polls lived up to expectations, with the December 2nd special voting exercise setting the pace for what was anticipated to be a keenly contested race.
As December 7 drew nearer, the two traditional major political parties – the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) – both expressed confidence in winning the election.
Reality began to dawn after 6 pm on Saturday when counting commenced. The election which was expected to be a close race turned into a bloodbath for the NPP.
Just 24 hours after voting, and even before an official declaration by the Electoral Commission (EC), Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP’s presidential candidate, conceded defeat and extended his congratulations to the NDC candidate, John Dramani Mahama. In a media address on Sunday, 8 December, Dr Bawumia acknowledged his party’s internal collation of provisional results, which confirmed Mr Mahama’s decisive win. He stated that contesting the outcome would be unnecessary.
In a subsequent press briefing on Monday, 9 December, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa announced that, based on results from 267 out of the 276 constituencies in the 16 regions, Mahama received 6,328,397 votes (56.55%), while Dr Bawumia secured 4,657,304 votes (41.61%). This revealed a staggering gap of 1,671,093 votes.
Amid the jubilations, the Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh has outlined 20 lessons learned from the Saturday, 7 December elections.
20 lessons and gems of wisdom from the December 7, 2024 elections
Money can't buy love. (Or, you got played!)
Pride comes before a fall.
There is a little Kwaku Ananse in every Ghanaian voter; don't underestimate our capacity to repay trickery with trickery, fakery with fakery.
Mind your language and attitude; we don't like being insulted or disrespected.
Power is not knowledge--or wisdom.
An attractive product can be rendered unmarketable by association with a damaged brand and an untrusted sales team.
Don't believe your own hype; echo chambers are bad for your political survival.
The diehard partisan voter is now a minority of the GH voting population. (Ref. Afrobarometer R9).
Cheap victories in the court of law would cost you more significant victories in the court of public opinion; there is such a thing as a Phyrric victory.
"It's the economy, stupid". (But it's more than the economy; good governance matters!)
"Free SHS is like the blood of Jesus that wipes away all sins" (HKP, August 11, 2019). Not!
You dismiss data from Afrobarometer or Mussa Dankwah at your own peril.
All politics is personal; hwɛ w'a setena mu . . .
The alternative is always scary for some, merry for others, and the same for the rest of us. Scare tactics don't work for the majority who have nothing to lose!
Don't seek power in humility and govern in arrogance.
The country yearns for a reset; there isn't much to upgrade!
Eight years is enough; breaking the 8 is reserved for the first party or government that would lead and govern this country exceptionally well, not for average or subpar performance; thus far, no one qualifies!
The opinions of "neutrals" are more credible than the opinions of paid party communicators or partisans.
If you're going to rebrand your party, rebrand up, don't downgrade!
"Accra" is not Ghana but it is more like Ghana than any other place outside Accra.