Ekwutosblog has gathered that Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has praised the recently concluded general election in Ghana, highlighting the political stability and innovative practices that contributed to its success.
Speaking on Sunday, Yakubu commended Ghana’s electoral process and the role it played in ensuring a smooth election on December 7, 2024, which saw the victory of former President John Mahama.
The election, which was closely observed by regional and international bodies, concluded with Mahama emerging as the winner, according to preliminary reports. His opponent, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who represented the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has already reached out to Mahama to offer his congratulations. Bawumia acknowledged the decision of the Ghanaian people, stating, “The people of Ghana have spoken and they have voted for change at this time. We respect this with all humility.”
Although Mahama has been declared the winner by unofficial results, the official announcement from Ghana’s Electoral Commission is expected by Tuesday.
Yakubu, who also observed the election, expressed admiration for the innovations introduced in the electoral process, particularly the decentralized handling of results. He pointed out that Ghana’s political system has fostered a level of stability that is rare in many African democracies. “Rarely in Ghana do you see people moving from one party to another with every general election,” Yakubu remarked. “That is important because it provides stability, not only for the parties but also for their supporters. People remain loyal to political parties, regardless of whether they are in power or opposition, which contributes to a more predictable and consistent political environment.”
Yakubu also praised the role of political party structures in maintaining this stability. He noted that Ghana’s political parties have strong, reliable frameworks, and their supporters are deeply committed to their parties, which contributes to the country’s democratic resilience.
One of the key lessons Yakubu highlighted from Ghana’s election was its adoption of Nigeria’s method for handling constituency-level election results. In past elections, all parliamentary and presidential results in Ghana were forwarded to the Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Accra for official announcement. However, Ghana has now implemented a more decentralized approach, where parliamentary results are announced locally at the constituency level, while presidential results are still finalized and announced at the national headquarters in Accra.
“This is the second time Ghana has implemented this system, learning from Nigeria’s experience,” Yakubu explained. “In Nigeria, returning officers announce parliamentary results at the constituency level, which has significantly sped up the process. Ghana has adopted this model, and as you can see, the declaration of the presidential election results was much faster than it has been in the past.”
Yakubu expressed satisfaction with how the election was conducted, emphasizing the improvements in the process that led to a quicker result declaration. “We are grateful that the election has gone very well,” he said. “The process and its outcome so far have been commendable. We continue to support our colleagues in Ghana’s Electoral Commission and look forward to further collaboration.”
The election marked the end of two terms in power for Ghana’s governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Akufo-Addo. His administration, which was faced with the challenges of a severe economic crisis, including soaring inflation and a debt default, was unable to secure a third term. This defeat highlights the growing discontent with the economic situation in the country, which played a significant role in the electorate’s decision to vote for change.
