Our best days are ahead - Mahama inspires hope in victory speech

In a triumphant address to the nation, President-elect John Dramani Mahama has emphasised his commitment to deliver good governance to the people of Ghana, promising to govern with humility and integrity. 

He emphasised that Ghanaians have zero tolerance for bad governance, citing his landslide victory as a testament to the people's desire for accountable leadership. Mr Mahama's remarks came after the Electoral Commission officially declared him the winner of the 2024 presidential election, with a decisive 56.55 per cent of the votes.

The President-elect arrived at his private office at Cantonments in Accra around 7:30 p.m. in the company of his wife, Lordina Mahama, and their children.

Mr Mahama was also in the company of Vice-President-elect, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.

Also present at the ceremony were the national executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former government appointees and members of the party, including the National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia; General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey; former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; former senior policy advisor, Valerie Sawyerr; former Minister of Finance, Seth Tekper; former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, and former Minister of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu.

Appreciation

Mr Mahama began his speech by thanking Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia for his concession speech after the election, saying it was a peaceful gesture.

 President-elect John Dramani Mahama (left), interacting with Johnson Asiedu Nketiah (right), National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, and Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang (middle), Vice-President-elect, after the event. Picture: ELVIS NII NOI DOWUONA 

He also announced that he had received a call from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo congratulating him on winning Saturday’s election.

Mr Mahama said he discussed with President Akufo-Addo the transitional arrangements ahead and they agreed to start on Wednesday.

President-elect Mahama said the results of Saturday’s elections showed that the NDC, which he led, had chalked up a remarkable mandate.

“I thank God for preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies and anointing my head with oil,” he said. 

He thanked his wife, children, siblings and his extended family for standing by him in times when success looked elusive.

Mr Mahama also thanked Prof. Opoku-Agyemang for being an excellent running mate to him and helping the party to achieve victory.

“Because of you, the people of Ghana can proudly say we have elected the first female Vice-President,” Mr Mahama said.

New beginning

"We intend to work together to restore confidence in our politics and governance system.

“This election and this outcome represent an opportunity for a new beginning as we can begin to write a new chapter of our collective story. We need to cautiously set the tone for the new direction in which we'll be travelling,” the President-elect stated.

“My brothers and sisters, I want those words, my brothers and sisters, to be a reminder to all of you, a reminder to me and to every individual who has just been elected or re-elected, that no matter what office you hold, no matter what your political affiliation is or has been in the past, the one thing we share in common is the nation Ghana, and it is that we want a much better Ghana.

We want a Ghana that works for everybody and not just a few people,” Mr Mahama said.

He said the party wanted a Ghana that considered the well-being of all the citizens and afforded them the ability to live a life of dignity, a life of limitless opportunity.

“My brothers and sisters, from the kayayoo to the managing director to the market women, the bankers, the teachers, security personnel, nurses, doctors, the pastors, the drivers, the tailors and seamstresses, we are all essential to the functioning and forward motion of this country," he stressed.

Taking to the podium ahead of the President-elect, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said with her election, she would ensure that women were well represented.

“I will hold the door open so that others will be encouraged to enter the door. It is not a self-aggrandisement position,” she said.

The professor of English and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast called on the rank and file of the party to rally behind Mr Mahama once he was sworn in as President to help achieve the desired outcomes for which he was elected.

“The meaning of blessings is to be good to another person,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang stated.

Modest celebration

The National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said this year’s election campaign was the best mobilisation effort of the NDC.

He said members of the party must be modest in their jubilation as the party had a big responsibility ahead.

“The elephant has been slaughtered completely,” he said.

He praised the technical staff of the NDC, including the executive of the party, past and present operatives, and the information technology (IT) team for the electoral victory.