Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has revived his bid for the presidency of Ghana.
Mahama’s party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), last week endorsed him to lead it in Ghana’s 2024 elections. He won over 98% of the vote during the NDC primaries.
The 2024 vote will be Mahama’s third attempt at the presidency since winning in 2012.
Does Mahama have a realistic chance?
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is expected to choose its candidate in November.
The first are the Vice President of Ghana Dr. Mahammadu Bawumia and former Trade Minister Alan Kyeremanteng.
Whichever candidate gets the nod will not have it easy against Mahama, according to political analyst Ibrahim Alhassan.
This is because the current president, Nana Akufo-Addo has served a maximum of two terms in office, so he will not be running in 2024.
“John Mahama’s chances are better in 2024 than they were in 2020,” Alhassan told DW.
Rivalry within the ruling party is also likely to spark division, he said considering how intense and competitive it could be.
“The support base of each of these two, Alan Kyerematen and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, will not put their shoulders to the wheel. They will sit on the fence,” Alhassan explained.
“There will be apathy and that will obviously be to the benefit of the opposition candidate, and that will be John Dramani Mahama.”
![John Dramani Mahama](https://static.dw.com/image/65670269_${formatId}.jpg)
![John Dramani Mahama](https://static.dw.com/image/65670269_${formatId}.jpg)
Will the ruling party break the “eight”?
Election observers like Alhassan said the upcoming presidential vote will also be hotly contested because no party in Ghana under the Fourth Republic – from 1992 to date – has ever won more than two consecutive terms.
Both NDC and NPP have always lost power after eight years.
The ruling NPP is entering the eighth year of the Akufo-Addo presidency and while it wants to break the deadlock, Mahama wants to become a former president to serve a second and final term in office.
Mahama’s success is not a given, pointed out Chris Atadika, a political marketing strategist.
He can successfully chart a new course from his previous presidency if he uses a new approach, Atadika suggested.
“Mahama is in a situation where this is an existing product coming into a new market because obviously the 2024 election is a new political field. So he needs to develop the market development strategy much more,” Atadika told state of Ghana. broadcaster.
Mahama needs to “find new segments in the target market and then go to those segments,” especially among young voters, Atadika said.
But he added that the former president should expect people to ask him about his past: “So, what did you do in the past? What do you say you’re going to do now?”
![John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress collects a ballot before voting (2016)](https://static.dw.com/image/65670255_${formatId}.jpg)
![John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress collects a ballot before voting (2016)](https://static.dw.com/image/65670255_${formatId}.jpg)
Ghana’s economic woes
Mahama seems to have already chosen an issue that could appeal to voters: Ghana’s economic woes. The West African nation is facing one of the worst economic crises in decades.
The cost of living has risen, causing Ghana’s cedi currency to fall and sparking protests among citizens.
Ghana’s government this week secured approval from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a three-year, $3 billion (€2.78 million) bailout.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva hopes the new program — Ghana’s 17th since independence — will turn the country’s economic fortunes around.
Georgieva said he was happy about “Ghana’s strong reform agenda to revive growth and reduce the country’s debt.”
Ghana’s road to recovery
But the government needs to do more to get the economy back on a good footing ahead of the next election.
Some economists have blamed the country’s current woes on excessive borrowing and the government’s refusal to cut spending.
“The first thing you have to do is cut your own spending before you even start looking at debt restructuring because when you go to the world bank and the IMF, they’re going to look at it,” said Dr. Richmond Atuahene, banking and financial analyst. DW.
“These [government] think you want to keep your old style of business, you don’t want to sacrifice.”
Mahama may be taking advantage of this. During a speech after his endorsement, he promised to set a standardized limit on borrowing.
“The NDC government will respond to the concerns of the people of Ghana, proactively and drastically reduce the number of ministers and other government appointees,” Mahama said.
“There will be no scope for wasting taxpayers’ money on the comforts of government officials.”
Regional gains from Mahama’s march
But Mahama’s success at the polls would also strengthen West Africa because of his experience as a former president, according to international relations analyst Fidel Amakye Owusu.
During Mahama’s presidency of the ECOWAS regional bloc, West Africa was able to mobilize to contain the deadly Ebola outbreak between 2013 and 2016.
Mahama also initiated efforts to counter extremist activities in the sub-region while serving as ECOWAS chairman.
“Mahama’s return would bring some of the experiences he had in the early stages when the extremists were on the defensive,” Owusu told DW.
Whether Mahama makes it in 2024 or not, for many election observers, Ghana’s electoral system will win and make a good case for democracy in Africa.
Editor: Keith Walker
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