Third Term Impossible, But Politics of Perception Demanded Mahama’s Clarification – Prof. Asare

Private legal practitioner, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, has commended President John Dramani Mahama for openly addressing speculation about seeking a third term in office.

While Ghana’s 1992 Constitution clearly bars any president from serving more than two four-year terms, Prof. Asare explained that Mahama’s intervention was still necessary because “the politics of perception, precedent, and reassurance” required it.

President Mahama, speaking at a bilateral meeting with Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, firmly dismissed rumours of a possible comeback beyond his current term. “I will not be a candidate in the next elections and therefore I can hold the line when it comes to fiscal discipline,” he declared.

In a Facebook post, Prof. Asare outlined ten reasons why the President’s statement was significant. These included preempting rumours, closing the door on legal controversy, reinforcing Ghana’s democratic credibility in Africa, and reassuring international partners of political stability.

He further argued that Mahama’s declaration framed his presidency as legacy-driven rather than re-election-driven, projected moral authority, and protected institutions like the Electoral Commission from potential eligibility battles.

According to him, the clarification also reduces political tension about 2028 and encourages leadership renewal within the political class.

“So yes, the Constitution speaks, but leadership demands speaking too,” Prof. Asare concluded.