The People's National Party (PNP) was the ruling party in
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
during the
Third Republic (1979-1981).
All political parties in Ghana were disbanded following the January 1972 military coup led by Col.
Ignatius Kutu Acheampong
Ignatius Kutu Acheampong ( ; (23 September 1931 – 16 June 1979) was the military head of state of Ghana from 13 January 1972 to 5 July 1978, when he was deposed in a palace coup. He was executed by firing squad on 16 June 1979.
Early life and ...
. When political activities resumed in 1979, there were five parties contesting the elections. The PNP claimed to represent the
Nkrumah heritage.
In elections held on 18 June 1979, PNP presidential candidate
Hilla Limann
Hilla Limann, (12 December 1934 – 23 January 1998) was a Ghanaian diplomat and politician who served the President of Ghana from 24 September 1979 to 31 December 1981. He served as a diplomat in Lome, Togo and Geneva, Switzerland.
Education ...
won 35.3% of the vote and the party won 71 of 140 seats in the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
. Limann won 62% of the vote in a 9 July
run-off against
Victor Owusu
''For the rapper with the same birth name, see V.I.C.''
Victor Owusu (26 December 1923 – 16 December 2000) was a Ghanaian politician and lawyer. He has also served as Attorney General and Justice minister as well as foreign minister on two occ ...
of the
Popular Front Party
The Popular Front Party (PFP) was the main opposition political party in Ghana during the Third Republic (1979-1981).
In elections held on 18 June 1979, PFP presidential candidate Victor Owusu won 29.9% of the vote and the party won 42 of 140 sea ...
(PFP). He took office as
President of Ghana
The president of the Republic of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana, as well as commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. The current president of Ghana is Nana Akufo-Addo, who won the 2020 presidential el ...
on 24 September 1979.
1979 establishments in Ghana
1981 disestablishments in Ghana
Defunct political parties in Ghana
Nkrumaist political parties
Pan-Africanism in Ghana
Pan-Africanist political parties in Africa
Political parties disestablished in 1981
Political parties established in 1979
Socialist parties in Ghana
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