Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has dismissed claims that President John Dramani Mahama is pursuing a third term in office, while acknowledging that Ghanaians retain the ultimate authority to decide the country’s political future.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday, December 19, 2025 before the House adjourned for recess, Ayariga said President Mahama has not indicated any interest in extending his tenure beyond the constitutional two-term limit. The Bawku Central MP was responding to persistent allegations from the opposition New Patriotic Party that the government plans to amend the constitution to allow Mahama to run again in 2028.
Ayariga told legislators that while some citizens have expressed support for a third term based on what they describe as exceptional government performance since taking office in January, the president himself has made no such commitment. The statement comes amid heightened political tension over the issue, with opposition MPs staging protests in Parliament earlier this week while chanting anti-third term slogans and waving placards.
The Majority Leader referenced regional precedents to illustrate how democratic systems provide mechanisms for citizens to either endorse or reject leaders seeking extended terms. He recalled conversations with opposition politicians from Côte d’Ivoire during his time in the ECOWAS Parliament, when those leaders sought regional support to oppose their president’s third term bid.
Ayariga emphasized that democratic principles ultimately vest decision-making power in citizens, who can express their will through constitutional processes. However, he cautioned the opposition that continuously raising the third term issue could inadvertently plant ideas that currently do not exist within the ruling National Democratic Congress.
In an earlier interview on Wednesday, Ayariga had warned that persistent speculation from the NPP could embolden voices within the NDC to consider the possibility, even though the party has made no such proposal. He argued that the opposition’s repeated accusations could become a self-fulfilling prophecy by introducing the concept into public discourse.
Ghana’s 1992 Constitution limits presidents to two four-year terms. President Mahama previously served as president from 2012 to 2017 after succeeding John Atta Mills, who died in office in 2012. Mahama lost the 2016 election to Nana Akufo-Addo but returned to power in the December 2024 elections, defeating Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.
The opposition’s concerns have been amplified by the NDC’s overwhelming majority in Parliament, with 187 seats compared to the NPP’s 86 seats. Minority MPs have linked their third term allegations to recent parliamentary disputes, including the controversy over the Kpandai constituency seat and what they describe as government attempts to consolidate control over key state institutions.
Critics have pointed to government actions since taking office, including the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo and her replacement with a jurist seen as aligned with the ruling party, as evidence of institutional capture designed to facilitate constitutional amendments. Civil society voices and some religious leaders have also joined the debate, with commentators warning against any attempts to extend presidential term limits.
President Mahama has previously stated he has no plans for a third term. The NDC’s General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, has also publicly rejected any third term agenda, insisting the party remains committed to constitutional governance and democratic norms.
The third term speculation first surfaced even before Mahama filed to contest the NDC flagbearer race ahead of the 2024 elections, with some individuals threatening Supreme Court action to prevent his candidacy. Those concerns proved unfounded as Mahama successfully contested and won both the party primary and the general election.
Ayariga acknowledged in a separate interview that if the NDC were to formally adopt a third term position as party policy, he would be obliged as Leader of Government Business to pursue it or resign from his leadership role. He clarified that such a scenario would represent a party directive rather than his personal preference.
Parliament has adjourned for the year and will reconvene in January 2026, with the third term debate likely to continue as the country approaches the midpoint of Mahama’s current term.