BY Issah Olegor
President John Dramani Mahama has finally broken his silence on rumours of seeking a third term in office, firmly dismissing the claims and reaffirming his respect for the constitutional two-term presidential limit.
His statement not only puts to rest months of speculation but also officially opens the race for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearership ahead of the 2028 elections.
Ending Months of Speculation
Speaking in Singapore on Wednesday, during a state visit where he engaged President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on trade and investment, John Mahama categorically stated that he would not contest the 2028 general elections.
His declaration follows persistent claims—mostly from opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) members—that he was considering extending his stay in power despite constitutional restrictions.
Mahama stressed that his decision was not only about upholding the law but also about protecting Ghana’s economic future.
“I will not be a candidate in the next elections and therefore I can hold the line when it comes to fiscal discipline,” he explained, noting that election-year overspending has historically destabilized the country’s economy.
How the Rumours Began
Speculation over Mahama’s political intentions intensified after his dramatic return to power in January 2025, following his landslide victory in the 2024 polls.
His comeback was historic: Mahama had previously served as President from 2012 to 2016, lost two consecutive elections in 2016 and 2020, only to reclaim the presidency eight years later.
This rare feat fueled talk within political circles that Mahama, riding on renewed popularity, could test the constitutional order by attempting a third term in 2028.
However, Article 66 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution explicitly bars any president from serving more than two terms, a safeguard many see as one of the cornerstones of the democratic stability.
Focus on Economic Gains
In dismissing the third-term rumours, John Mahama shifted attention to his government’s achievements since January 2025.
He highlighted falling inflation, lower interest rates, and a stronger cedi as evidence of his administration’s success in restoring confidence in the economy.
According to him, the absence of personal political ambition in 2028 gives his government the leverage to enforce strict fiscal discipline and avoid the election-year spending sprees that have repeatedly undermined the macroeconomic stability.
NDC Prepares for New Era
The NDC leadership has welcomed Mahama’s decision, framing it as an opportunity for new leadership to emerge.
The Party Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah who is interested in the Presidential race rubbished the rumours of a third term as “baseless propaganda,” stressing that the NDC had no intention of breaching Ghana’s constitutional order.
“We have never run our party in ways that conflict with the national constitution, and we don’t intend to do that. We will stick by the tenets of the Constitution,” Nketiah said, adding that succession planning for 2028 was already underway.
Opposition Reaction
The NPP has consistently accused Mahama of plotting to “cling to power,” portraying the speculation as part of a broader strategy to rally its base ahead of the next election cycle.
Analysts, however, suggest the opposition has used the rumours as a political tool rather than a reflection of Mahama’s true intentions.
Constitutional experts have also weighed in, arguing that the two-term presidential limit is one of the most entrenched features of its democracy and would be nearly impossible to overturn without provoking widespread resistance.
What Lies Ahead For NDC
With John Mahama officially out of the 2028 race, the NDC’s internal succession battle is set to take centre stage.
The party’s history of leadership transitions—from Jerry John Rawlings’ transformation of the PNDC into the NDC, to John Evans Atta Mills, and later Mahama—has always been closely watched in the political landscape.
Now, for the first time in decades, the NDC faces the prospect of selecting a presidential candidate without the direct influence of Mahama.
This development sets the stage for intense competition within the party, as ambitious figures begin to position themselves for the 2028 flagbearership.
By stepping aside, Mahama has not only upheld the constitutional order but also shifted the focus of the political conversation from speculation about his future to the NDC’s leadership transition and the nation’s economic recovery.
