A look at the presidents Ghana never had

To become the president of Ghana is the zenith of politics in this country, but getting there is not much of a walk in the park.

Even for those who have ever won the presidency before, the ability to stay for the two constitutionally-permitted terms (a total of 8 years) gives them an even better upper hand over their peers.

That has been the case for the sitting president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and only two of his predecessors: Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor.

All the other remaining presidents in the Fourth Republic of Ghana have only completed one term of four years, except for John Dramani Mahama, who is seeking another mandate to complete a four-year term, and to boast of a few other months in addition to his reign - this was after he took over the presidency upon the death of John Evans Atta Mills.

But Ghana could have had even more presidents.

The only problem with the possibility is that all of those candidates were never able to convince the Ghanaian electorates enough to give them their votes.

GhanaWeb takes a look back at the personalities who fall within this bracket, as well as the political parties they represented during their attempts to become president of Ghana.

The following list is in no particular order.

Dr. Edward Mahama:

Dr. Edward Mahama was at the People’s National Convention (PNC) in 2016.

George Aggudey:

George Aggudey was the 2004 presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).

Thomas Ward-Brew:

Thomas Ward-Brew was the presidential candidate of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) in the 2008 elections.

Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom:

Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom is a three-time failed presidential candidate who stood on the tickets of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and his own party, the Progressive People’s Party (CPP).

Hassan Ayariga:

Hassan Ayariga was a one-time presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention in 2012, and then again on the ticket of his party, the All People’s Congress (APC) in 2020.

He is an accountant, entrepreneur and a politician.

Michael Abu Sakara Foster:

Michael Abu Sakara Foster was the presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in the 2012 general polls.

He is an agronomist and politician.

Akwasi Addai Odike:

Akwasi Addai Odike is a Ghanaian businessman and politician.

He was the presidential candidate of the United Front Party (UFP) in the 2012 general elections.

Jacob Osei Yeboah:

Known famously as JOY, Jacob Osei Yeboah contested as an independent candidate in the 2012 and 2016 elections.

He is also the first independent candidate to stand for president in the fourth republic.

Henry Herbert Lartey:

Henry Herbert Lartey was the candidate of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) in the 2012 general elections.

He replaced his father, Daniel Augustus Lartey, as the leader of party.



Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings:

Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings was the First Lady of Ghana from June 4, 1979, to September 1979, and from December 31, 1981, to January 7, 2001.

Both times were under the presidency of Jerry John Rawlings, her husband.

In 2016, she became the first woman to run as president in Ghana, on the back of her break away political party, the National Democratic Party (NDP).



Ivor Greenstreet:

Born on May 31, 1966, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet was the presidential candidate for the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in the 2020 general elections.

He is the first physically-challenged person to run for president of Ghana.

Asiedu Walker:

Asiedu Walker was an independent presidential candidate in the 2020 elections.

Christian Kwabena Andrews:

Popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, Christian Kwabena Andrews stood on the ticket of his party, the Ghana Union Movement, as presidential candidate in 2020.



Brigitte Dzogbenuku:

Brigitte Dzogbenuku was one of the few female faces that appeared on ballot sheets for a presidential poll in Ghana. She was a former beauty queen, who won Miss Ghana 1990.

During the 2020 general elections, she was the presidential candidate for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).



Akua Donkor:

Akua Donkor is the founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).

She appeared on the presidential ballot sheet in 2020.



Marricke Kofi Gane:

Also known as Kofi Ghana, Marricke Kofi Gane was an independent candidate in the 2020 general elections.

He is a management consultant, Chartered Accountant, a public speaker, and a book author.

Kofi Akpaloo:

Kofi Akpaloo is a Ghanaian politician and the leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana.

He was the party’s presidential candidate for the 2020 general elections.

David Apasera:

David Apasera was the presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC) in the 2020 general elections of Ghana.

He was once a Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga in the Upper East region between 2001 and 2009.

AE/BOG