Ghanaian Citizen Files Suit at Supreme Court Over Mahama's Alleged Third-Term Bid
- A private citizen has filed a Supreme Court suit to challenge President John Mahama’s alleged third-term bid
- He cited constitutional articles restricting presidential terms to two, whether they were consecutive or cumulative
- The calls for constitutional amendment have emerged as some push for President Mahama to contest again in 2028
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A Ghanaian citizen, Azubilla Salam Emmanuel, has reportedly filed a suit at the Supreme Court challenging President John Dramani Mahama's alleged third-term bid.
In the suit numbered J1/4/2026, Emmanuel, who is the Executive Secretary of Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement Ghana (ADAM-GH), wanted the apex court to declare that a president's term is four years and that no person can be elected for more than two terms, consecutive or cumulative.
Source: Facebook
In a report by Ghanaweb, the private citizen explained that the suit is aimed at safeguarding Ghana's democracy, curtailing tensions, and ending conversations about a possible third-term bid for President Mahama.
Azubilla said his suit was based on Articles 2(1) and 130(1) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and Rules 45(1) and (2) of the Supreme Court rules.
When did Mahama's third-term conversation start?
After securing a second presidential term in 2024, President Mahama would not be constitutionally eligible to contest in the 2028 elections.
This means that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) will have to head to the polls to elect a new presidential candidate for the forthcoming elections.
As a result, several bigwigs in the party have begun lacing their boots and giving subtle hints of their intention to succeed President Mahama.
However, due to the performance of his administration so far, some Ghanaians, including members of the NDC and traditional leaders such as Nana Boadi Amponim Obo-Dade III, are calling for an amendment to the Ghanaian constitution to allow President Mahama to contest for a third term.
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has also alleged that President Mahama and the NDC are seeking a third term in office, contrary to what the constitution provides.
Speaking at a May Day event on May 1, 2025, Afenyo-Markin reportedly claimed that the removal of the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, and the subsequent nomination of seven judges of the Appeals Court to the Supreme Court were part of a grand scheme to hold on to power.
“It is obvious that the bold attempts by the president to nominate, out of the blue, seven judges to the Supreme Court are the first major step in their rehearsed third-term agenda. All that the NDC is doing is through the advice of the hawks of NDC to set a third-term agenda for its leadership,” he claimed.
Source: Facebook
Mahama's aide dismisses third-term bid claims
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Joyce Bawa Mogtari, special aide to John Mahama, had dismissed claims that her boss is seeking a third presidential term.
In a Facebook post, she described the claims as laughable and suggested that the alleged third-term agenda for Mahama was a figment of the NPP's imagination.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
