Omanghana
The National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party, Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, has accused President John Dramani Mahama of being deceptive about whether he intends to remain in office beyond his current term.
His comments follow renewed political debate over Ghana’s constitutional presidential term limit and a Supreme Court action seeking an interpretation of the provision governing how many times a person may be elected president.
Although President Mahama has repeatedly said he will not contest the 2028 election, Nana B maintains that the public should not dismiss the possibility of an attempt to secure another term.
“God forbid President Mahama’s third term. It will never happen,” the NPP National Organizer declared, arguing that Ghana’s democratic system should not be altered to extend the political career of one individual.
NPP Questions Mahama’s Assurances
Nana B accused the president of frequently changing his political positions and suggested that his public rejection of a third-term bid should be treated with caution.
The NPP official argued that statements from some NDC supporters, the constitutional-review process and court cases concerning presidential eligibility had created legitimate reasons for public scrutiny.
He maintained that assurances from the presidency could be intended to calm public concern while supporters continued to test the political and legal possibilities of another Mahama candidacy.
No evidence has been publicly established that President Mahama directed or authorized any court action seeking to make him eligible for the 2028 election.
The president has also distanced himself from the legal arguments, saying the wording of the Constitution is clear and that Ghanaians elected him to serve one additional term.
Mahama Rules Out 2028 Candidacy
President Mahama has repeatedly stated that he will not be a candidate in the next general election.
During a state visit to Singapore in August 2025, he said his absence from the 2028 ballot would strengthen his ability to enforce fiscal discipline during the final years of his administration.
“I will not be a candidate in the next elections, and therefore I can hold the line when it comes to fiscal discipline,” he said.
Mahama argued that incumbent governments sometimes weaken spending controls ahead of elections to improve their chances of remaining in power. He said having no further presidential contest ahead of him would allow his administration to resist election-year expenditure pressures.
The Presidency’s account of his position emphasized his commitment to respecting Ghana’s constitutional term limit.
During a July 2026 visit to the Volta Region, Mahama again dismissed arguments that he could seek another term. He said the constitutional language appeared unambiguous and that any person seeking a Supreme Court interpretation was acting independently.
Presidency Calls Allegations an “Absurd Fantasy”
Minister of State responsible for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu has rejected the NPP’s allegations as unfounded.
He described the supposed third-term plan as an “absurd fantasy,” insisting that Mahama had expressed no intention of contesting again.
According to Kwakye Ofosu, social-media comments or appeals by individual NDC supporters cannot be treated as official government or party policy.
“President Mahama has stated emphatically that he will respect the Ghanaian Constitution,” he said, adding that no third-term proposal was under consideration by the president.
The NDC leadership has similarly maintained that the party will respect the Constitution and will not pursue an amendment designed to keep Mahama in office.
What the Constitution Says
Article 66(2) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution states that a person shall not be elected to hold office as president for more than two terms.
Mahama first assumed the presidency in July 2012 following the death of President John Evans Atta Mills. He completed the remaining months of that administration before winning the December 2012 election and serving a full four-year term from January 2013 to January 2017.
He returned to office in January 2025 after winning the 2024 presidential election. His current mandate is widely regarded as his second elected term and is scheduled to end in January 2029.
The ongoing debate concerns arguments from some individuals that non-consecutive terms should be treated differently or that the period Mahama served after Mills’ death affects the constitutional calculation.
Mahama has publicly rejected that reasoning, saying Ghanaians gave him one additional term and that he intends to use it to fulfil his mandate.
Supreme Court Asked to Interpret Term Provision
Private citizens have reportedly petitioned the Supreme Court to interpret the constitutional rules surrounding non-consecutive presidential terms.
Journalist and politician Ken Kuranchie has previously pursued litigation concerning presidential eligibility and term structures. More recent legal action has also reportedly asked whether a president who serves non-consecutive terms could remain eligible for another election.
The existence of such a case does not mean the Supreme Court has endorsed its arguments, nor does it establish that the president or the NDC is behind it.
Until the court rules otherwise, the existing constitutional position remains that no person may be elected president more than twice.
Constitutional Review Fuels Opposition Suspicion
Part of the NPP’s concern has been linked to the broader review of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
President Mahama established an eight-member Constitution Review Committee in January 2025 and formally inaugurated it later that month. The committee was chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development.
Its mandate was to examine earlier constitutional-review proposals, identify obstacles to their implementation, consult stakeholders and recommend reforms capable of improving democratic governance.
The committee included retired Supreme Court Justice Sophia Adinyirah, former Electoral Commission Chairperson Charlotte Osei, Professor Kwame Karikari, Dr Godwin Djokoto, Ibrahim Tanko Amidu, Dr Esi Ansah and secretary Dr Rainer Akumperigeya.
It presented its final report to the president in December 2025. The Presidency’s original announcement said the exercise was intended to build on the work of previous review initiatives.
The presidency has framed the process as an effort to reduce excessive executive power, strengthen institutions and improve accountability. The opposition, however, insists that any proposed changes affecting presidential tenure must receive intense public scrutiny.
Third-Term Question Remains Politically Sensitive
Presidential term limits have been central to Ghana’s democratic stability since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1993.
Supporters of the existing arrangement argue that it promotes leadership renewal, limits the concentration of power and prevents state institutions from being reorganized around the ambitions of one president.
Nana B says the NPP will resist any attempt to weaken that safeguard, regardless of the legal or political method used.
For now, Mahama has rejected another candidacy, the NDC says it has no third-term agenda, and no official proposal to change the two-term limit has been introduced. The political controversy is nevertheless likely to continue while the Supreme Court considers questions concerning presidential eligibility and the government evaluates the constitutional-review recommendations.
Source: Omanghana
