An old video featuring former President, John Dramani Mahama discussing his familial ties with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has recently emerged on social media.
Back in 2008, John Evans Atta Mills, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), chose John Dramani Mahama, then the Member of Parliament for Bole Constituency, as his running mate.
During the same period, Akufo-Addo, the leader of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), selected Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as his running mate for the general election.
In this video, Mahama recounts the coincidental nature of their political careers and familial connections, noting the uncanny similarities that have marked Ghana’s political landscape.
He went on to describe how their fathers were neighbors, living in the same area in Tamale and often visiting each other’s homes.
“Actually, the coincidence in our politics has been very uncanny. Because my father and Dr. Bawumia’s father were quite close friends in the CPP together, and they kind of followed a certain or the same track; they got educated about the same time together [at Tamale Secondary School], my father became Regional Minister for the Northern Region after Mumuni Bawumia became Regional Minister for the Northern Region. They all had large families; I think they both had the same number of children.
“I think Mumuni Bawumia had 19 children; my dad too had 19 children,” he stated.
He went on to describe how their fathers were neighbors, living in the same area in Tamale and often visiting each other’s homes.
“There were many parallels between their lives; they were close friends and neighbors, living in the same vicinity in Tamale,” Mahama added.
Reflecting on his relationship with Dr. Bawumia, Mahama noted that while he was closer in age to Dr. Bawumia’s elder brothers, their families were well-acquainted.
“We grew up together, myself and Mahamudu. He was younger than me, and so his elder brothers were closer to me than he was. But we knew each other; the families knew each other very well,” John Mahama said.
Mahama also highlighted the influence of his late father, who served as his mentor and chief advisor, shaping his political journey. He credited his brothers with playing a role in his entry into parliament.
In the 2008 elections, the Mills-Mahama ticket triumphed over the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia ticket.
Following the death of Prof. Mills ahead of the 2012 election, Mahama, who succeeded him, went on to win the general election against the same Akufo-Addo-Bawumia pair.
However, in 2016, the tables turned, with Nana Addo and Dr. Bawumia defeating Mahama, who had then partnered with the late Amissah Arthur as his vice-presidential candidate.
Mahama was unsuccessful in regaining power in the 2020 general elections, running with Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as his vice-presidential candidate.
Looking ahead to the 2024 election, Mahama, the NDC’s flagbearer, has once again partnered with Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, facing an NPP ticket led by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who has succeeded Nana Akufo-Addo as the party’s flagbearer.
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