Mahamudu Bawumia: Ghana’s Vice-President and Presidential Hopeful

Mahamudu Bawumia has risen from being an unfamiliar figure in politics to become Ghana’s second-highest official, and in December, he could achieve a historic milestone as the nation’s first Muslim president. Bawumia, who currently serves as Ghana’s vice-president, has been selected by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as their candidate for the upcoming general election. The 61-year-old, known to be a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, possesses a notable public image. He is recognized as an intellectual with an education from Oxford University, consistently wears his distinctive slim, rectangular glasses, and has earned the moniker “Mr Digital” due to his commitment to transforming Ghana into a leading technological power. However, given his leadership of the government’s economic management team, many Ghanaians link Bawumia to the severe cost of living crisis currently affecting them. If Bawumia manages to overcome this criticism and secure victory in the election, he will succeed his current superior, President Nana Akufo-Addo, who is nearing the conclusion of his two-term limit. “Mr Digital” made a sudden entry into the political arena in 2008, which was met with both confusion and doubt. Bawumia, then 44 years old, had no prior experience in public office, yet Akufo-Addo—who was at the time only a presidential candidate—chose him as his running mate. Bawumia’s father, Alhaji Mumuni, had been part of Ghana’s initial governments following the country’s independence from Britain in 1957, working closely with the esteemed Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah. However, the younger Bawumia had established a career in economics and banking, including a tenure as the deputy governor of Ghana’s central bank. For numerous observers and NPP insiders, Akufo-Addo’s decision to select Bawumia over more experienced party members seemed illogical. Akufo-Addo ultimately lost the election to John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by a narrow margin. Bawumia did not secure the Vice-Presidential position, but his compelling campaign had silenced those who doubted him. “He fired [up] the NPP campaign. I think no-one else could have done a better job, to be honest, in terms of the support he gave to the NPP,” Ghanaian political scientist Dr Clement Sefa-Nyarko told the BBC. Akufo-Addo and Bawumia contested the elections again in 2012. They were defeated once more. The NPP challenged the election results in the Supreme Court, with Bawumia serving as their key witness. During the court proceedings, which were broadcast nationally, Bawumia appeared sharp-witted and composed despite the intense, multi-day cross-examination. “People were like, who is this guy? He’s really the guy to root for,” said Dr Sefa-Nyarko, who lectures on African leadership at King’s College London. Akufo-Addo opted to retain Bawumia on his ticket, and in 2016, on their third attempt to gain power, the NPP won with 51.3% of the vote. Bawumia finally assumed the role of vice-president. Bawumia’s path to prominence began in 1963, when he was born into a large family in Tamale, a city in northern Ghana. He was the 12th of his father’s 18 children. After completing his primary and secondary education in Ghana, Bawumia relocated to the UK for his undergraduate studies and subsequently earned a master’s degree in economics from the distinguished Oxford University. To support himself during his academic pursuits, he worked as a taxi driver and a cleaner. He returned to Ghana in 2000 to join the central bank, where he advanced through the ranks to become deputy governor. Bawumia emphasized this economic expertise during his campaigns for the vice-presidency. Consequently, he faced considerable criticism when Ghana experienced its most severe economic crisis in years under his tenure. Inflation reached an unprecedented 54% in December 2022, and the nation was compelled to secure a $3bn (£2.3bn) loan from the International Monetary Fund following a surge in government debt. In response to the criticism, Bawumia has stated that the economic management team he led lacked “decision-making powers” and merely offered advice to the government. However, for many, this explanation was insufficient. “In terms of character, in terms of integrity, people started questioning themselves: ‘What is this? How did it end up here? We thought you were the best guy, and look at where we’ve ended up’,” Franklin Cudjoe, a Ghanaian political commentator and head of the Imani Centre for Policy and Education, told the BBC. Beyond his role as an economist, Bawumia has also cultivated a reputation as a digital visionary. Ghana’s digital infrastructure has experienced “significant growth,” particularly in areas like mobile phone connectivity, as noted last month by Charles Abani, head of the United Nations team in Ghana. This “remarkable digital transformation” was “spearheaded” by Bawumia, according to the news website African Business, while the Ghanaian newspaper The Chronicle lauded Bawumia’s “expertise in global digital transformation.” Bawumia stated that he initiated a collaboration between Ghana’s government and the US-based company Zipline, which resulted in the establishment of the world’s largest vaccine delivery network. He explained that he contacted Zipline, which utilizes drones to transport health products to remote clinics, after his father passed away due to blood loss. While some commend this dedication to technology, others express more skepticism. Mr Cudjoe observed that Bawumia has been focusing his campaign on digitalization rather than addressing discussions concerning the government’s economic management. “Whether Bawumia was in power or not, digitalisation was bound to happen in this country because we had already started it anyway,” Mr Cudjoe said. Dr Sefa-Nyarko commented on Bawumia: “What he has been very successful at is to push and also claim all credit for digitalisation outcomes of the current government.” Bawumia’s personal life has also contributed positively to his presidential campaign. His wife of 20 years, Samira, is a former beauty queen widely admired for her elegant attire. The Second Lady is also an active participant in party politics and has undertaken campaign tours for the NPP. The couple shares four children. They are devout followers of Islam, a religion practiced by approximately one in five Ghanaians. While the majority of Ghana’s population is Christian, there is little evidence to suggest that Bawumia’s religious minority status will impede his electoral prospects, according to Dr Sefa-Nyarko. The NPP has extended its “full support” to Bawumia’s candidacy, “his Muslim faith notwithstanding,” Dr Sefa-Nyarko added. “This could translate into widespread support across the country as well.” Bawumia’s regional background might hold more significance than his religious affiliation. The vice-president originates from northern Ghana, a region that represents one of the NDC’s strongest political strongholds. By selecting Bawumia as its presidential candidate, the NPP aims to gain ground in the north while maintaining its support base in the southern heartland. Bawumia has been campaigning across the north, south, east, and west in what he terms the “possibilities bus,” a blue and red campaign vehicle featuring the slogan “it is possible.” To some, he symbolizes economic mismanagement, yet the vice-president retains some of the optimism he displayed when he was a 44-year-old embarking on an eight-year pursuit of power. “I have the courage to accept when things do not go as well as planned,” he stated to voters in his manifesto. “But I also have a mindset of possibilities, and faith in ourselves, that we can rise and achieve great things in our lifetime.” Additional reporting by the BBC’s Thomas Naadi in Accra Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.