International

Bawumia says quickly concedes defeat to Mahama to preserves Ghana’s Democracy

Published

1 year ago

December 8, 2024

OCHEFA

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▪︎President -elect, John Dramani Mahama

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has declared Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama, the winner of the country’s Saturday’s presidential election.

“I am making this concession speech before the official announcement by the electoral commission to avoid further tension and preserve the peace of our country,” said Bawumia.

The December 7, 2024 elections were contested by 13 presidential candidates and 807 parliamentary candidates.

In a concession speech delivered on Sunday, Mr Bawumia, the candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), stated that internal data from his party indicates that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has secured victory in both the presidential and parliamentary polls.

“Let me say that the data from our own internal collation of the election results indicate that former President John Dramani Mahama has won the presidential election decisively.

“The NDC has also won the parliamentary election. Even though we await the final collation of a number of seats, I believe ultimately these will not change the outcome.

He continued: “The people of Ghana have spoken, the people have voted for change at this time and we respect it with all humility.”

The defeat in Saturday’s election ends two terms in power for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Mahama, who was president of Ghana between July 2012 and January 2017, confirmed on X he had received Bawumia’s congratulatory call over his “emphatic victory”

International

U.S. bombs Venezuela, arrests President Maduro, wife

The U.S. has long accused Maduro of leading an international drug trafficking organisation, something that Maduro denies.

Published

1 day ago

January 3, 2026

OCHEFA

26 Views

•President Nicolas Maduro

The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, Cilia Flores captured and flown out of the country to an unknown destination.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the attack in a statement on Truth Social on Saturday, January 3.

This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.

“There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

The U.S. has long accused Maduro of leading an international drug trafficking organisation, something that Maduro denies.

Trump did not give more detail about how Maduro was captured or where he has been taken.

The Venezuelan government has not yet confirmed this.

The U.S. had offered a $50m reward for information leading to the arrest of Maduro.

That, along with the huge military build-up in the region over the last few months, were interpreted in the region as encouragement for someone inside the country to turn against him.

Donald Trump adds on Truth Social that there will be a news conference at 11:00 EST (16:00 GMT), at the president’s Florida residence Mar-a-Lago.

International

‘128 journalists killed worldwide in 2025’,says IFJ

Meanwhile, the IFJ said that across the globe, 533 journalists were currently in prison – a figure that has more than doubled over the past half-decade.

Published

3 days ago

January 2, 2026

OCHEFA

55 Views

• Journalists at work

A total of 128 journalists were killed around the world in 2025, more than half of them in the Middle East, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said Thursday.

The grim toll, up from 2024, “is not just a statistic, it’s a global red alert for our colleagues,” IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger told AFP.

The press group voiced particular alarm over the situation in the Palestinian territories, where it recorded 56 media professionals killed in 2025 as Israel’s war with Hamas ground on in Gaza.

“We’ve never seen anything like this: so many deaths in such a short time, in such a small area,” Bellanger said.

Journalists were also killed in Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru, India and elsewhere.

Bellanger condemned what he called “impunity” for those behind the attacks. “Without justice, it allows the killers of journalists to thrive,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the IFJ said that across the globe, 533 journalists were currently in prison – a figure that has more than doubled over the past half-decade.

International

In pictures: New Year welcomed around the world

The London Eye is illuminated by the fireworks display in central London. Credit: PA Media

Published

4 days ago

January 1, 2026

OCHEFA

52 Views

Fireworks lit up the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during New Year’s Day celebrations in Australia. Credit: AFP via Getty Images.