The Director of Policy Engagement and Partnerships at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr. Kojo Asante, has called for an immediate end to public speculation over a possible third presidential term for President John Dramani Mahama, stressing that Ghana’s constitutional two-term limit is clear and must be respected.
His comments come in the wake of a suit filed at the Supreme Court by Ganiwu Alhassan, a teacher from Kpandai, seeking interpretation of Article 66(2) of the 1992 Constitution — specifically whether a president who has served two non-consecutive terms can contest for office again.
In a Facebook post on Friday, July 10, Dr. Asante said Ghana had far more urgent challenges to confront than debates over extending presidential tenure.
“Please, we have enough problems in this country to start speculation about third-term bids. Two terms mean two terms,” he wrote.
He cautioned that attempts to extend presidential tenure have historically triggered political instability across Africa, citing examples from Senegal, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin and Guinea-Bissau.
“A lot of countries have paid a terrible price for term elongation. Senegal just went through one, Guinea had a coup, we have seen what has happened in Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, the shenanigans in Benin, Guinea Bissau,” he said.
Dr. Asante urged President Mahama to publicly and unequivocally dismiss any suggestion that he intends to remain in office beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms.
“The President should not even wait for the fax paper to cool, he should make a clear and unequivocal statement that he is focused on completing his two terms and he will leave like all his predecessors — Rawlings, Kufuor and Nana Addo,” he added.
His remarks add to growing public debate following the Supreme Court action, with various voices weighing in on the constitutional interpretation and its potential political implications.
— CitiNewsRoom
