The Electoral Commission (EC) has officially declared President-Elect John Dramani Mahama the winner of the 2024 presidential election with a decisive margin of 1,671,093 votes over his closest rival, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Mahama garnered 6,328,397 votes, representing 56.55% of the valid votes cast, while Dr. Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, managed 4,657,304 votes, or 41.61%.
Performance of other candidates
Independent candidate Nana Kwame Bediako came in third with 384,478 votes (0.75%).
Other candidates and their results are as follows are Alan Kwadzo Kyetematen (Independent): 31,022 votes (0.28%), Nana Akosua Frimpomaa (CPP): 23,397 votes (0.21%), Hassan Ayariga (APC): 17,461 votes (0.16%), Daniel Augustus Lartey Jnr. (GCPP): 16,673 votes (0.15%), Christian Kwabena Andrews (GUM): 16,461 votes (0.15%), Kofi Akpalo (LPG): 5,219 votes (0.09%), Mohammed Frimpong (NDP): 4,413 votes (0.04%), Kofi Koranteng (Independent): 3,320 votes (0.03%) and George Twum-Barima-Adu (Independent): 3,091 votes (0.03%)
Sharp decline in voter turnout
Voter turnout dropped from 13,434,574 in 2020 to 11,430,531 in 2024, a reduction of over two million voters (2,004,043).
This decline means 39.1% of the 18,640,811 registered voters abstained, leaving only 60.9% of registered voters participating in the election.
Implications for Political Parties
The reduced voter turnout and the significant apathy within the NPP’s voter base pose serious concerns for both major political parties.
For the NPP, the loss of over 2 million votes compared to 2020 highlights dissatisfaction or disillusionment among its supporters.
For the NDC, Mahama’s modest gain of 115,215 votes despite the addition of 1.6 million new registered voters suggests the party struggled to attract new support.
Call for reflection
The results indicate the need for both major parties to reflect on their strategies, re-engage their core bases, and address voter apathy.
Reinvigorating public confidence in Ghana’s political processes will be critical to fostering greater voter participation in future elections.
A call to address voter disengagement
The 2024 election results underscore the urgency for political leadership to tackle the growing disengagement among voters. For Ghana’s democracy to thrive, political parties must focus on building trust, delivering on promises, and ensuring that every Ghanaian feels represented in the country’s governance.
