On August 31, 1970, Edward Akufo-Addo, a revered jurist and father of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was elected President of Ghana’s Second Republic.

His election as the ceremonial head of state, alongside Prime Minister Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, was a significant moment in Ghana’s political history following years of military governance under the National Liberation Council (NLC).

Ghana’s First Republic, led by President Kwame Nkrumah, ended abruptly with a military coup on February 24, 1966, orchestrated by the NLC.

The coup, premised on claims of economic mismanagement and political repression under Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP), ushered in a period of military rule.

The NLC, headed first by Lt Gen Joseph A. Ankrah and later Brig Akwasi Afrifa, prioritised restoring democratic governance, culminating in the drafting of a new constitution in 1969.

The 1969 Constitution established the Second Republic, creating a parliamentary system with a ceremonial president and an executive prime minister.

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To prepare for civilian rule, the NLC lifted a ban on political activities in May 1969, allowing parties to form and campaign.

The general elections held on August 29, 1969, saw the Progress Party (PP), led by Dr Kofi Busia, secure a landslide victory, winning 105 of the 140 parliamentary seats.

The National Alliance of Liberals (NAL), led by Komla A. Gbedemah, a former CPP stalwart, became the main opposition with 29 seats.

Under the 1969 Constitution, the president was elected by an electoral college comprising members of Parliament rather than by universal suffrage. This mechanism reinforced the ceremonial nature of the role.

On August 31, 1970, Edward Akufo-Addo, a prominent lawyer and one of the “Big Six” leaders of Ghana’s independence movement, was selected as the PP’s candidate for president.

His election was formalised by the electoral college in a process overseen by the NLC, marking the final step in transitioning power to civilians.

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Akufo-Addo, then 64, was a respected figure known for his role as a founding member of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and his tenure as Chief Justice from 1966 to 1969 under the NLC.

His judicial background and non-partisan stature made him an ideal candidate for the ceremonial presidency, which required a unifying figure above party politics.

His election was uncontested within the electoral college, given the PP’s parliamentary dominance, and he was sworn in as president on the same day, August 31, 1970.

Edward Akufo-Addo served as a figurehead, performing duties such as opening Parliament, assenting to bills, and representing Ghana in diplomatic engagements.

His tenure was marked by efforts to foster national cohesion, but the Second Republic struggled with economic woes and political unrest.

In January 1972, just 17 months after his election, the government was overthrown in a bloodless coup led by Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, citing economic mismanagement and elitism under Busia’s administration.

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Akufo-Addo was removed from office and lived quietly until his death in 1979.

On December 7, 2016, one of his four children, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was elected President of Ghana on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party, defeating the then-incumbent President, John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress.

Nana Akufo-Addo subsequently won a second term on December 7, 2020, again defeating John Mahama.

His constitutionally limited two-term tenure ended on January 7, 2025, when John Dramani Mahama, who staged a comeback in the 2024 election, was sworn in as President after defeating the NPP’s candidate and then Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

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