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Ghana Decides: No Attempt Should Be Made to Steal This Election, Mahama Warns
Former President of Ghana, John Mahama, and candidate of the National Democratic Congress in the December 7, 2020 presidential election, has said he has not conceded defeat or congratulated any of the 11 other candidates in the race including incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party.
Mahama at a press conference on Tuesday night warned that no attempt should be made to steal the election which is the West African nation’s eighth consecutive poll since it returned to democracy decades ago.
More than 17 million people registered to vote in the election involving 12 candidates but the vote is essentially a fight between Mahama and Akufo-Addo.
For the third time on Monday, Akufo-Addo, who is seeking re-election, locked horns with his predecessor, Mahama. In 2012, Mahama narrowly defeated Akufo-Addo with 50.7 per cent of the vote and in 2016, Akufo-Addo beat Mahama with 53.8 per cent.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mahama said, “I thank the people of Ghana for what has been an exciting election. I want to state firmly and categorically that I have not congratulated anybody. And no attempt should be made to steal this election; we will resist it.
“The Ghanaian people want a change in this country. Ghanaians are tired of Akufo-Addo and his government.
“We thank the electorate for giving us a working majority in parliament. 140 seats is a majority. And no attempt should be made to subvert the will of the people.
“I have looked at the results so far and I am confident of the outcomes.”
The NDC candidate also accused Akufo-Addo of ‘undemocratic’ practices. According to him, the incumbent has been using “the military to overturn results”.
Akufo-Addo has been silent since the election on Monday as he awaits the Electoral Commission Ghana to declare the winner of the keenly contested poll.
The country’s electoral umpire has, however, called for calm, adding that the results of Monday’s presidential election would be released any moment from now.
According to the electoral umpire, “The winner of the presidential election must obtain not less than 50% +1 of the total valid votes cast i.e. the candidate must obtain more votes than the votes of all other contestants put together.”
British Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on Monday announced his resignation, bringing an abrupt end to a premiership that began with Labour’s landslide general election victory in July 2024.
Starmer made the announcement in a statement outside 10 Downing Street, where he reflected on his time in office and defended his record in government.
“Every decision I have made has been about putting the country I love first,” Starmer said as he confirmed he would step down as both prime minister and leader of the governing Labour Party.
The resignation marks a dramatic political development in the United Kingdom, coming barely two years after Starmer led Labour back to power following more than a decade in opposition.
His departure is expected to trigger a swift leadership transition within the party at a time of heightened political uncertainty.
Addressing supporters gathered outside Downing Street, Starmer described entering No. 10 in 2024 as “the proudest moment” of his life, saying he entered politics with the goal of improving the lives of millions of people.
The outgoing prime minister also highlighted what he considered some of his key achievements, including rebuilding the Labour Party after years of internal divisions and restoring public confidence in the party’s economic and national security credentials.
Starmer said he inherited a Labour Party that was “politically, financially and morally bankrupt” and faced repeated predictions that it was finished as a political force.
He argued that his leadership helped transform the party, including efforts to tackle anti-Semitism and reposition Labour as a credible alternative government.
His resignation has immediately intensified speculation over his successor. Attention has turned to Andy Burnham, who recently won the Makerfield by-election and is due to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament.
Political observers and Labour insiders believe Burnham could emerge as the overwhelming favourite to take over the party leadership. Some party members are already discussing the possibility of a “coronation” process in which Burnham becomes the sole candidate, avoiding a prolonged leadership contest.
If that scenario unfolds, Labour could have a new leader and prime minister in place by September, around the time of the party’s annual conference.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.
The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.
The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.
In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Source: Reuters
