How Ghana Learnt From Nigeria In Having Credible General Elections – INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu | #NwokeukwuMascot

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The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has commended the recently concluded Ghana’s general election, adding that Ghana "learnt from Nigeria in the area of managing constituency election result." 

The INEC chairman, who has come under fire in Nigeria for controversial general elections in 2019 and 2023, spoke on the Ghana's general elections in a video seen by SaharaReporters. 

Yakubu highlighted the innovations and political stability in Ghana as key factors in the smooth conduct of its 2024 presidential election.

Ghana’s ex-president John Mahama won the country’s presidential election held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, after his main opponent, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat.

The VP confirmed that he had called his opponent, Mahama — the National Democratic Congress candidate and former president — to congratulate him, saying in a statement, “The people of Ghana have spoken and they have voted for change at this time. We respect this with all humility.”

According to AFP, the Election Commission said the official results were likely to be announced by Tuesday.

The INEC Chairman, cited the perseverance of the main opposition candidate, a former vice president and the current President, Nana Akufo-Addo who contested multiple elections before achieving success.

“Rarely in Ghana do you see people moving from one party to another with every general election. So, that is important.

“It provides stability. It also provides their supporters (with) stability. So, there are people who have supported political parties for many years. So, whether the party is in power or opposition, they stick to the political party,” he added.

“The second thing for me is the lesson that Ghana also learnt from Nigeria in the area of managing constituency election results. Until the last election in Ghana, all results come to the Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Accra; which is parliamentary and presidential.

“Although Ghana is not a federal system, they learnt from Nigeria where you have returning officers who announce results for parliamentary elections in the various constituencies around the country. Only the presidential election results come to Accra.

“In Nigeria, this is what we have done and they borrowed a leave from us, and this is the second time they are implementing that. That is why, as you can see, the declaration of the presidential election result was a lot faster than it used to be in the past,” he explained.

Expressing satisfaction with the process, Yakubu stated, “We are grateful that the election has gone very well. The process and its outcome so far have been commendable, and we continue to support our colleagues in Ghana’s Electoral Commission.”

The defeat in Saturday’s election ends two terms in power for the governing New Patriotic Party under Akufo-Addo, marked by Ghana’s worst economic crisis in years, involving high inflation and a debt default.