President Bola Tinubu has called on leaders across West Africa to draw inspiration from Ghana’s recent peaceful elections, describing it as a model of democratic maturity and commitment to national unity.
Speaking at the 66th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday in Abuja, President Tinubu commended Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for the successful conduct of their presidential and parliamentary elections. He noted that the process had set a high democratic standard for the region.
“I urge all of us in the region to learn from this good democratic practice and prioritise our country’s national unity to ensure political stability of the region so that this manner of peaceful transition becomes the culture of democracy not only in West Africa but also in the entire African continent,” President Tinubu said.
He acknowledged the political challenges facing some West African countries, where democratic governance has been interrupted, but highlighted Ghana’s recent elections as evidence of the region’s capacity for democratic growth. “Despite the challenges of interrupted democratic governance in some West African countries, the region has continued to record democratic gains,” he noted.
President Tinubu praised the conduct of Ghana’s elections held on December 7, 2024. He pointed to the actions of Ghana’s incumbent Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, who, along with the leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), conceded defeat and congratulated the President-elect, John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), even before the official announcement of the election results.
“This gesture, as it happened in Nigeria in 2015, demonstrates political maturity and respect for the will of the people of Ghana,” President Tinubu remarked.
President Tinubu’s call for ECOWAS leaders to embrace Ghana’s example comes at a time when West Africa is grappling with a series of political challenges, including military coups in several member states. His message emphasizes the importance of peaceful transitions of power and respect for the democratic process as essential to regional stability and development.
The 66th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS serves as a critical platform for West African leaders to deliberate on issues affecting the region, including peace, security, and economic development. President Tinubu, who also serves as the ECOWAS Chairman, continues to push for greater democratic accountability and unity across member states.
INEC Chairman Highlights Ghana’s Adoption of Nigerian Electoral Practices
On December 8, 2024, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), commended Ghana’s approach to its elections, highlighting how certain electoral strategies employed by Nigeria have been adopted in Ghana. He pointed to Ghana’s use of constituency-level announcement of parliamentary results, which mirrors Nigeria’s practice of decentralizing result collation. “Although Ghana is not a federal system, they have incorporated aspects of Nigeria’s electoral process, where returning officers announce parliamentary results in local constituencies while only presidential results are collated centrally in Accra,” Yakubu stated.
According to Yakubu, this method accelerates the declaration of results and boosts transparency, ensuring greater confidence in the electoral process. He emphasized that Nigeria’s peaceful transfer of power in 2015 set a benchmark for democratic transitions in Africa, with Ghana’s recent elections reaffirming this legacy. “Ghana’s adoption of these practices signifies a growing regional consensus on the principles of credible elections and democratic accountability,” Yakubu remarked.