The flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Mahama, turns 61 today, Friday, 29 November 2019.

The former President was born on this day in 1958 at Damango, capital of the West Gonja District, to an affluent teacher, rice farmer and politician.

His father, Emmanuel Adama Mahama, was the first Member of Parliament for West Gonja and the first Regional Minister of the Northern Region.

E.A. Mahama served under Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah.

Mr Mahama served as President of Ghana from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017.

He previously served as Vice-President from January 2009 to July 2012 and took office as President on 24 July 2012 following the death of his boss, President John Evans Atta Mills.

He was elected after the December 2012 elections to serve as a full-time President.

Mr Mahama lost his re-election bid in the 2016 general elections to the New Patriotic Party and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who he defeated in 2012.

This made him the first President in the history of the fourth republic to have Ghana been a one-term President.

Mr Mahama is a communication expert, historian, and writer. He was a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2009 and Minister of Communication from 1998 to 2001.

Mr Mahama is seeking a comeback in the 2020 election.