The incoming leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will be scoring a lot of firsts in Ghana’s political landscape when the President-elect is finally sworn into office on Saturday, January 7, 2017.
For instance, Nana Akufo-Addo’s victory will go down as the first time in Ghana’s history that a father and his son have ruled the land as President.
In August 1970, an electoral college elected his father, Justice Edward Akufo-Addo as President of the second Republic of Ghana.
However, he was only a ceremonial President because of the fact that the Second Republican constitution instituted a Parliamentary system of governance.
True administrative power was with the Prime Minister, Dr KofiAbrefaBusia, who assumed office when his Progress Party (PP) won the 1969 elections to usher in the Second Republic.
Another historic feat Nana Addo has chalked is to become the opposition leader to have won a Ghanaian election after just one round, which truncated the reign of an incumbent President.
At 72 years, Nana Akufo-Addo also becomes Ghana’s oldest ever Head of State.
But Nana Addo alone will not be the cynosure of all eyes when the sword of state changes hands.
Refreshing news is that the wife of his hard working Vice-President-elect, Samira Bawumia, will also go into the history books as the nation’s youngest Second Lady.
Samira, 36, a beauty contestant-turned-politician, and the only daughter of Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, the Peoples National Convention (PNC) National Chairman, would go down the history books as the youngest 2nd lady of the 4th republic.
Within a very shortperiod Samira has been able to carve a niche for herself in Ghana’s politics as a real force to reckon with.
Like her husband, Samira’s oratory prowess on the campaign trail had endeared her to many who followed her keenly.
She was soon becoming a delight to watch and listen to when she eloquently dissected important national issues to the electorate.
For many who have wondered where she suddenly sprang out from into the political space, Samira read BA Social Science in Law and Sociology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
She started her early education at the Answarudeen Islamic School at Fadama in Accra, before proceeding to the Akosombo International School and then Mfantsiman Secondary School in the Central Region for her O-Level.
Samira was adjudged the Best Student in Master of Business Administration (MBA) for Project Management at GIMPA.
Although there are no constitutionally recognized positions for first and second ladies, they have been very instrumental in helping the agenda of their husbands.
With the exception of the wife of former Vice President EkowNkensenArkaah,Marian Arkaah, who led a quiet life away from public view, others who have occupied that position thereafter have been very instrumental and active in politics.
Interestingly, twoof Ghana’s 2ndladies under the fourth republic had subsequently become 1st ladies.
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