GHANA’S vice-president and ruling party candidate, Mahamudu Bawumia, conceded defeat today to opposition candidate and former president John Dramani Mahama in the west African nation’s presidential election.

Ahead of the official announcement, National Democratic Congress spokesman Sammy Gyamfi told reporters the party’s internal review of results showed Mr Mahama had won 56.3 per cent of the vote against 41.3 per cent for Mr Bawumia.

Mr Bawumia told a press briefing that the people of Ghana voted for change, and he respects that decision “with all humility.”

“I’ve just called His Excellency John Mahama to congratulate him as president-elect of the Republic of Ghana,” he said.

Mr Bawumia was running as the candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), which has struggled to resolve the economic crisis under outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo, who steps down after serving the maximum of two four-year terms. 

The electoral authorities said official results were unlikely before Tuesday.

The soaring cost of living in Ghana appears to have been the dominant factor in the election, but frustrations among voters opened the way for a comeback win by Mr Mahama, who was president from 2012 to 2017 but has since failed twice in presidential bids.