Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Cheddar, has emerged as the leading candidate among smaller party contenders in the just-ended 2024 general elections.

Representing The New Force movement, Cheddar secured 84,478 votes, amounting to 0.75% of the total votes cast.

The Electoral Commission (EC) announced the results on December 9, 2024.

• Read also: 2024 Election: Mahama declared Ghana’s president-elect with 56% of votes against Bawumia’s 41%

This development showed Cheddar’s performance as a notable achievement for smaller parties in an election dominated by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Other smaller party candidates recorded the following results:

• Daniel Augustus Lartey Jnr: 16,673 votes (0.15%)
• Christian Andrews: 16,461 votes (0.15%)
• Kofi Akpaloo: 5,219 votes (0.09%)
• Mohammed Frimpong: 4,413 votes (0.04%)
• Nana Akosua Frimpomaa: 23,397 votes (0.21%)
• Hassan Ayariga: 17,461 votes (0.16%)
• Kofi Koranteng: 3,320 votes (0.03%)
• George Twum Barimah-Adu: 3,091 votes (0.02%)
• Alan Kyerematen: 31,202 votes (0.28%)

These candidates collectively made their presence felt in a race where former President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC emerged as the president-elect with 6,328,397 votes, representing 56.55% of the total valid votes.

He was followed by NPP candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who garnered 4,657,304 votes (41.61%).

Cheddar’s The New Force campaign, which focused on economic empowerment, innovation, and social transformation, resonated with a segment of the electorate, particularly young people, positioning him as a rising figure in Ghanaian politics.