Former president John Dramani Mahama during the run-up to the 2016 general election told Ghanaians he had performed tremendously well to deserve a renewal of mandate in office.

While addressing his party faithful at Bimbilla in the Northern Region, he said the likes of Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor were both given second terms to complete their projects thus he also needed another four-year term.

He is quoted to have said, “Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufour were given second chances to complete the development projects they started in their first terms and I think I have also performed well to deserve another term."

But as though Ghanaians did not agree with him entirely, John Mahama was handed a resounding defeat in the 2016 general election.

He became the first incumbent president to lose his seat.

Read the full story originally published on August 25, 2016, on Ghanaweb

President John Dramani Mahama has stated that his administration has over the last four years performed tremendously well to deserve another chance in the 2016 polls.

He said the 1992 Constitution makes room for every President to enjoy a second term after serving the first four years in government and appealed to the electorate to give him the opportunity to complete all the projects he had initiated in the first term of his administration.

"Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum were given second chances to complete the development projects they started in their first terms and I think I have also performed well to deserve another term," he said.

President Mahama was addressing a National Democratic Congress (NDC) party rally at Bimbilla, capital of Nanumba North as part of his four-day campaign tour of the Northern Region.

President Mahama also addressed similar rallies at Kumidi and Kpandai in the Kpandai District, Lungni, Nakpayili and Wulensi in the Nanumba South District and Chamba.

President Mahama explained that his administration had initiated numerous development projects throughout the country and therefore handing the governance of the country to another political party would truncate those strides.

"That is why I believe that I deserve another chance to complete all those projects throughout the country to help in the onward March of this country."

He said it was untenable to suggest that he had already served his eight years when it was crystal clear that his service to Ghana was from 2009 - 2012 was the position of a Vice President.

President Mahama called on the opposition leaders who are calling for a change to continue to bid their time as Ghanaians are poised to return the NDC government into power on account of the development-oriented performance in the past four years.

Enumerating some of the development projects his administration had initiated in the last four years, President Mahama said 123 Community Day Senior High Schools are under construction throughout the country, while numerous health facilities have also been completed at various locations.

He said he had also initiated a number of water programmes to make potable water accessible throughout the country and called on the electorate to return NDC to power to provide more.

President Mahama said Ghana needs peace and security to blossom into a developed country and his administration would continue to provide all the necessary facilities that would ensure complete peace and unity in the days leading the December 7 polls and beyond.

President Mahama addressing a rally at Chamba.