By A Correspondent
In a rare and admirable display of statesmanship, outgoing Ghanaian President Mahamudu Bawumia acknowledged his party’s defeat in the recent elections and offered a candid reflection on the factors that led to the loss.
Speaking on Wednesday, Bawumia openly admitted that his party’s time had simply come to an end, and no amount of political manipulation could have reversed the outcome.
Bawumia’s election concession speech was a moment of profound introspection, as he addressed both his party members and the nation. “No amount of monopolization of the media space could save us. No amount of money could stop our defeat. No amount of local and international celebrity endorsements could help us. And no amount of vote buying could stand the irresistible hurricane of change that shook our nation on Wednesday,” he said, acknowledging that despite all efforts, the winds of change were too strong to resist.
Urging his party members to stop the “blamestorming” that had begun after the election, Bawumia called for unity and reflection. “We must stop blaming one another so we can brainstorm on how to get ourselves out of the mess we have put ourselves in,” he stated, emphasizing that the future of the party appeared bleak and required serious reevaluation.
“The future of our great party looks gloomy and we have to start work on how to get ourselves out of what appears like an eternal stay in opposition,” Bawumia continued. “In life, when you are hit by the subduing blow of misfortune, you have two options. You can allow that blow to crush you, or you can move on with the enormous lessons such misfortunes often present.”
While unsure of his immediate future in politics, Bawumia was clear about the lessons learned from the defeat. “I cannot immediately tell my next move in life, politics and my role in our great party,” he confessed. “But if I should ever make a comeback to politics, the lessons I have learnt from our defeat should serve as the moral code which will guide how I guide myself.”
Among the lessons Bawumia shared, he remarked that the Ghanaian voter, though largely uneducated and simple, proved to be far more sophisticated than his party had previously thought. “I have learnt that the Ghanaian voter, though mainly uneducated and simple, is more sophisticated than we thought,” he stated.
He also acknowledged the growing discontent with corruption, incompetence, and inequality, lessons that would inform his future political approach.
Reflecting on the election’s results, Bawumia said, “I have learnt that hate of corruption can win. It has taught me that hate of incompetence can win.
Our defeat has taught me that hate of impunity can win.” He continued by emphasizing that hatred of corruption and the obscene display of ill-gotten wealth were driving forces behind the defeat. “I have learnt that the hate of the obscene display of ill-gotten opulence wins.
I have learnt that hate of mediocrity and deception definitely wins. And I have learnt that hating evil will forever triumph over the love of evil. That was what happened on Wednesday.”
Another key takeaway for Bawumia was the importance of surrounding oneself with capable and principled individuals. Reflecting on his own leadership, he noted, “While Rawlings appointed the likes of Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas as deputy ministers, I made the mistake of giving that respectable position to the likes of John Oti Bless.”
He acknowledged that had he kept voices of reason around him, such as Ben Dotsei Malor and Dr. Raymond Atuguba, they would have brought much-needed stability and respectability to his administration.
“I have now realised, rather too late, that if I had kept the likes of Ben Dotsei Malor and Dr. Raymond Atuguba around me, they would have injected some semblance of sanity into the presidency and given that high office an aura of respectability and decency,” Bawumia reflected.
He also criticized the sycophants who surrounded him, stating, “The praise-singing sycophants who act on the dictates of their stomachs are only specialized at telling you what you want to hear.
Unfortunately, I did not listen to voices of reason. Our elders say a disease that will kill a man first breaks sticks into his ears.”
Bawumia’s concession speech marks a moment of rare humility and reflection in Ghanaian politics, as he openly confronts the failures of his party and the lessons learned from their electoral defeat. Whether this will lead to a genuine transformation of the political landscape in Ghana remains to be seen, but Bawumia’s candidness in accepting responsibility for his party’s loss is a significant step toward introspection and growth.