Anny Osabutey – As if it will never happen but on Friday December 9th, Ghana’s main opposition leader, Nana Akufo Addo, candidate of the New Patriotic Party, won the presidential elections after beating the sitting president and candidate of the governing National Democratic Congress, John Mahama, in a fiercely contested elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo, a former Foreign Minister and veteran politician, campaigned on the message of change, urging Ghanaians to reject the current government due to allegations of corruption and economic mismanagement. He promised one factory per each district across the ten regions of Ghana, but critics say that is overly ambitious and cannot be achieved.
His electoral victory comes after a third attempt at the presidency since his first attempt in 2008. In 2012 after another grueling campaign and elections, he challenged the outcome of the results at the Supreme Court, alleging deliberate irregularities robbed him of the presidency.
The court however maintained the status quo and President Mahama was declared the winner
Celebrations erupted across the country following announcement by the chair of the Electoral Commission head, Charlotte Osei.
The elections were the seventh in the history of Ghana’s multi-party democracy since transition 1992, when military leader Jerry Rawlings swapped the military gear to a civilian one, winning back to back elections before leaving power in 2000.
Mr Akufo-Addo, also a celebrated lawyer, told a crowd of party enthusiasts at his residence in Accra he will not go back on his electoral promise.
“I make this solemn pledge to you tonight: I will not let you down,” he told them. “I will do all in my power
At 72, both his age and suspected health problem became an issue in the campaign. His opponents accused him of being too old and lacking the stamina to lead the country when elected into office. His own personal physician had to debunk claims by a private newspaper he was suffering from severe heart condition and had checked in at a hospital in London.
The accusation became a main campaign tool for his opponent who insisted any trip abroad was to receive medical attention.
His opponents also accused him of being divisive and dictatorial who supervised an alleged forceful removal of some senior party national executives including its chairman.
But cladded in white and flanked by his vice president, family and senior party supporters, he assured Ghanaians he will represent them, irrespective of their political differences.
“I will do all in my power to live up to your hopes and expectations.”
