‘There will be no third term for Mahama’ – Fifi Kwetey

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected claims that President John Dramani Mahama harbours intentions of seeking a third term in office.

They describe such suggestions as unfounded and inconsistent with the party’s democratic values.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on Tuesday, December 16, which was monitored by today.com.gh, the General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, said the party remains firmly committed to Ghana’s constitutional framework and would not support any attempt to amend the Constitution to extend presidential tenure.

According to Mr Kwetey, Ghana has earned respect across sub-Saharan Africa for its peaceful democratic transitions and strict adherence to constitutional limits, a legacy the NDC is determined to protect.

“First and foremost, you must appreciate that all over sub-Saharan Africa, if there is one country that has been able to provide the model that continues to be an inspiration in terms of democratic transition, it is Ghana,” he stated.

He stressed that neither the party nor President Mahama would entertain any action that undermines the Constitution, noting that the President has already taken steps to shut down conversations around a third-term agenda.

“We at no point should ever encourage a situation where there is a disruption in our constitutional stipulations. The president has spoken about that and clearly he did well because he didn’t want to allow such conversations to continue as if he is entertaining it,” Kwetey said.

The NDC General Secretary further indicated that although the party currently commands a strong majority in Parliament, it would not misuse that advantage for partisan or personal interests.

“The party itself that has promised to ensure that we do what is right for the country has to ensure that, in this spirit of reset, even though we have such a huge majority in Parliament, we use it only to do what is good for the country and not try to change the Constitution because we are trying to make maybe one person happy,” he explained.

Reaffirming the party’s position, Mr Kwetey declared unequivocally: “We stand behind the president and say that there will be no third term.”

President Mahama himself has publicly addressed the matter. In August this year, he stated that he would not contest the 2028 general elections, making it clear that his current term would be his last.

“I will not be a candidate in the next elections and therefore I can hold the line when it comes to fiscal discipline,” the President said during a meeting with Singapore’s President, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, while on a three-day State Visit to Singapore.

President Mahama is currently serving his second term, having previously led the country from January 2013 to January 2017.