It’s painful to lose elections – Bawumia reminds Mahama of 2008

Vice president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has reminded the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, that losing an election is painful just as it has happened to him in the 2020 polls but life must go on.

According to Bawumia, he went through a “painful moment” with his boss, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in 2008 when they lost, but eventually, they had to let love lead and concede defeat for national cohesion hence Mahama must learn to do same after losing Election 2020.

Mahama has rejected the results of the recent polls on the basis that the elections are flawed with a lot of infractions and has served notice of using “all legitimate means to overturn” the results.

However, speaking on Christmas Day at the Victory Bible Church International – Dominion Sanctuary, in Accra, Bawumia said: “Just about two weeks ago the Ghanaian spirit for peace was again tested when we went to the polls for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections. And thankfully, by the favour and mercies of the Lord Almighty, we accomplished that task peacefully. Elections would usually ultimately come with two outcomes – those declared winners and those who come second, third, and so on. It is a moment of joy and disappointment for the victors and vanquished respectively but should not lead us into destroying the fabric of peace and sanctity of our democracy.”

He continued: “The President, Nana Akufo-Addo and myself have gone through the painful moment of losing presidential elections by just 40,000 votes (less than one percentage point) in 2008 but we prioritized the peace and sanctity of our democracy first and conceded. I am very much convinced that the Lord who granted us the will power to prioritize national cohesion, peace and tranquillity over personal gratification is capable and will do the same today. We just have to avail ourselves to be used by God as an instrument for peace.”

He urged Ghanaians to ask for God’s “dominion over any acts of omission and commission that stand as threats to the unity and peace we enjoy as a nation,” and expressed confidence that the nation’s prayers “will be heard by the heavens to usher us into a new year full of the grace and mercies of the Lord.”