President John Dramani Mahama has described his 2025 inauguration as a sense of Déjà vu, given the historic parallels with his predecessor, Nana Akufo-Addo.
In his inauguration speech on January 7, 2025, Mahama expressed gratitude to God and Ghanaians for his overwhelming victory in the 2024 elections.
Mahama reflected on the symmetry of the situation, noting that exactly eight years ago, on January 7, 2017, he and Akufo-Addo had shared the same space, with Mahama as the outgoing president and Akufo-Addo as the incoming president.
He emphasised that despite their differences, both leaders understood their duty to serve the people of Ghana.
The President-elect also highlighted the unique historical distinction of sharing this experience with Akufo-Addo, given that they both began their national political careers in parliament in 1996.
“Today’s exercise between outgoing president Akufo-Addo and I, feels a bit is like a Déjà vu that is because 8 years ago to this day, on Janaury 7, 20217, we shared this same space and performed this same transitional exercise. A the time, I was the outgoing president, having served one term and he was the incoming president, having been given a mandate by the people of Ghana to lead this great nation.”
“He and I both understood on that day as I’m sure we are today that it is the people of Ghana that we are elected to serve. Somehow it seems fitting that it is with Akufo-Addo that I twice shared this stage and this unique historical distinction because Akufo-Addo and I began our national political careers in parliament in the same year 1996. While we belong to opposing parties, we share a sense of mutual respect.”
