The Association of Political Consultants Africa (APC-Africa) presented President John Dramani Mahama with the Africa Democracy Award 2025 on May 14, in Accra, honouring his sustained commitment to constitutional governance and democratic leadership across Ghana and the African continent.
APC-Africa’s Governing Council voted unanimously to confer the honour on Mahama, citing his resilience in public life, advocacy for peaceful political transitions, and exemplary service to the people of Ghana. Presidential Envoy Hon. Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah received the award on behalf of the President at the 8th Africa Political Summit and Democracy Awards, held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
“The President is an exceptional democrat.” Hon. Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Presidential Envoy
Mahama joins a select group of past recipients that includes Kenya’s President William Ruto, Nigeria’s President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, all recognised for their contributions to democratic governance on the continent.
Beyond the award ceremony, Afriyie-Ankrah used his keynote address to press APC-Africa to lead a continental campaign on the financial burden of political campaigns. He proposed a single presidential term of between six and eight years as a structural measure to reduce recurring election costs and redirect resources toward job creation, health, education, and infrastructure development. He also stressed the importance of youth participation, arguing that inclusive political engagement is fundamental to building stable societies.
This year’s summit, themed “Reinventing Political Campaigns: Strategy, Technology, Resourcing, and Grassroots Mobilization,” drew political leaders, election administrators, governance experts, civil society organisations, and development partners from across Africa. APC-Africa Secretary-General Temitope Ajayi described the gathering as a high-level, non-partisan platform for examining the transformation of political campaigning in the digital age and strengthening professional standards in election management across the continent.
