Elections: Learn from Ghana’s democratic practice, Tinubu urges ECOWAS leaders
President Bola Tinubu has urged leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to emulate Ghana’s democratic practices following the successful presidential and parliamentary elections in the country. Tinubu made the appeal during his opening speech at the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja on Sunday.
Tinubu reflected on the recent elections in Ghana, where former President John Mahama was re-elected, defeating Vice President Mahamud Bawumia. Notably, Bawumia, even before the official results were declared, congratulated Mahama, a move Tinubu described as “political maturity and respect for the wish of the people of Ghana.”
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Tinubu continued, “Just a week ago on the 7th of December 2024, presidential and parliamentary elections took place in Ghana, which is the second largest democracy in our region. One of the leading candidates, who happens to be the incumbent Vice President, His Excellency Mahamud Bawumia, together with the leading party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), conceded defeat and accepted the outcome of the election by congratulating the President-elect, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), for his victory even before the announcement of the official results.”
He further stated, “This gesture, as it happened in Nigeria in 2015, demonstrated political maturity and respect for the wish of the people. Today, we have the man I will refer to as Mr Democrat. I congratulate President Nana Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for the successful elections and urge all of us in the region to learn from this good democratic practice.”
The Nigerian leader also praised President Nana Akufo-Addo for his leadership in Ghana’s democratic process and acknowledged that this election was his final time attending the ECOWAS meeting as president. “I congratulate President Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for the peaceful transition,” Tinubu added.
Tinubu’s call for emulation of Ghana’s electoral success extended beyond just Ghana. He urged ECOWAS leaders to prioritize “national unity” in their countries to ensure “political stability of the region.” He emphasized the importance of peaceful transitions, saying, “This manner of peaceful transition recalls the culture of democracies not only in West Africa but also in the entire African continent.”
In addition to Ghana’s election, Tinubu commended Senegal for its recent successful parliamentary elections, highlighting that peaceful elections across the region are essential for strengthening democracy. “We must cooperate to protect our citizens and provide an enabling environment for them to thrive. Raising the living standards of our citizens is not only an obligation but a responsibility for all of us,” Tinubu remarked.
He concluded his address by emphasizing the need for continued economic cooperation among ECOWAS member states, stating, “The economic cooperation has been bolstered by various ECOWAS policies, and we must continue working together to ensure security and improve the quality of life for our people.”
After the speeches, the meeting proceeded into a closed-door session to discuss further regional matters.
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