In the aftermath of the December 8, 2024 presidential election in Ghana, where John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) emerged victorious, opinions on the candidates continue to surface. Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa, expressed his belief that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was a better candidate for the country, despite Mahama's win [df654fdb]. Bentil had been vocal on social media prior to the election, citing IMANI research from February 2024 that indicated Mahama's potential victory was largely driven by public anger over economic issues [df654fdb].
While Bentil wished Mahama well in his new role, he maintained that Bawumia represented a more favorable choice for Ghana's future [df654fdb]. This sentiment was met with criticism from Kofi Adams, an NDC Member of Parliament, who argued that Bentil failed to address broader issues such as government arrogance and the NPP's handling of economic challenges [df654fdb].
The election results revealed a significant shift in voter sentiment, with Mahama receiving approximately 56.5% of the votes compared to Bawumia's 41% [39f9a97f]. The NPP's historic defeat was attributed to widespread dissatisfaction with the country's economic management, leading to a loss of support even in traditionally strong regions like Ashanti [ac221b72]. Some NPP members believe that Bawumia was unfairly punished for the party's broader issues, suggesting that his candidacy was overshadowed by the economic crisis facing the nation [df654fdb].
As Ghana moves forward under Mahama's leadership, the discourse surrounding the election continues, highlighting differing perspectives on the candidates and the challenges ahead for the new administration [df654fdb].