The main opposition challenger to Ghana’s incumbent president has won the country’s presidential election, according to official results released late Friday.
“It is my duty and my privilege to declare Nana Akufo-Addo as the president-elect of Ghana,” election commissioner, Charlotte Osei, said at a news conference, Reuters reported.
According to NPR, Akufo-Addo received 53.8% of the vote, according to official tallies compared to the 44% received by the current president, John Dramani Mahama.
Even before results were announced from Wednesday’s voting, supporters of Akufo-Addo were celebrating his apparent victory over Mahama.
Akufo-Addo’s party claimed an “unassailable lead” based on vote tallies from individual constituencies.
Mahama had called for voters to be patient, even as he said he would accept the result.
After a tense campaign, the Ghanaian leader said the electoral commission should be allowed to do its work and declare the results. He tweeted, “Let’s allow the EC to carry out its constitutional mandate. We’ll make Ghana proud no matter outcome.”
Ghana’s state broadcaster reported that Mahama called Akufo-Addo to concede, according to AP.
Ghana holds regular presidential elections and routinely has peaceful transfers of power between political parties.
Both candidates largely focused on the country’s flagging economy during this campaign.
Mahama had vowed to launch more infrastructure projects and create jobs, while Akufu-Addo has promised to build a factory in each of Ghana’s more than 200 districts”
“Gold, oil and even cocoa bean prices have all dropped,” The New York Times reported, “leaving Ghana with a currency crisis, an electricity shortage and a fed-up population that is having trouble seeing the benefits of any incremental progress Mr. Mahama has achieved.”
Akufu-Addo previously served as justice and foreign minister when his party was in power.
