PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has encouraged leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to adopt Ghana’s democratic practices following the country’s successful presidential and parliamentary elections.
Former President John Mahama was reelected last Saturday, defeating incumbent Vice President Mahamud Bawumia, who congratulated Mahama even before the official results were announced.
During his opening address at the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja today, Tinubu, in his capacity as Chairman, lauded Ghana’s electoral process as a model for other nations in the region.
He commended outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo for overseeing the successful elections. “Just last week, on December 7, 2024, Ghana, the second-largest democracy in our region, held its presidential and parliamentary elections. The incumbent Vice President, His Excellency Mahamud Bawumia, along with his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), conceded defeat and congratulated the President-elect, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), even before the official results were declared.
“This act, reminiscent of Nigeria’s political maturity in 2015, reflects respect for the will of the Ghanaian people. Today, we recognize Nana Akufo-Addo as a true democrat. I congratulate him and the people of Ghana on the successful elections and urge all of us in the region to learn from this exemplary democratic practice. We must prioritize national unity to ensure political stability, as this peaceful transition reinforces the democratic culture not just in West Africa, but across the African continent,” Tinubu stated.
The Nigerian leader also commended Senegal for its successful recent parliamentary elections and called for cooperation among ECOWAS member states to protect their citizens and create an environment conducive to their prosperity. He emphasized that improving citizens’ living standards is a collective responsibility.
Tinubu noted that economic cooperation has been strengthened by various ECOWAS policies. After the speeches, the meeting moved into a closed-door session.