Democracy and development fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD-Ghana) Prof John Osae Kwapong warned that attempts to extend presidential term limits could destabilize the country’s democracy on The Forum aired on Asaase Radio on Saturday, December 13, 2025.
Osae Kwapong described efforts to alter term limits, as seen in some West African neighbors, as motivated by a desire to entrench leaders in office. He warned that such moves risk generating tensions that could threaten democratic stability, citing recent constitutional changes in Côte d’Ivoire which allowed President Alassane Ouattara to extend his tenure.
The analyst noted that Ghana has largely avoided such crises since the return to multiparty democracy in 1992, highlighting smooth transitions of power under former presidents Jerry Rawlings, John Kufuor, and others. He emphasized that the country’s main political parties have maintained mutual respect for democratic competition, but that understanding would likely be thrown out if there is an attempt for a third term.
Prof Osae Kwapong expressed confidence that civil society and the media would play a critical role in opposing any unconstitutional attempts to extend presidential tenure. The remarks follow dramatic scenes in Parliament on Tuesday, December 10, 2025, when opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament chanted Mahama No Third Term and waved placards during a heated debate over the Kpandai parliamentary seat.
The protest was triggered after the Minority accused the government of manipulating constitutional procedures following a December 4, 2025 letter from the Clerk of Parliament regarding a vacancy in Kpandai after a High Court ruling. Minority MPs argued the letter was improper and violated parliamentary rules, stoking fears of potential constitutional manipulation. The Tamale High Court had ordered a rerun of the Kpandai parliamentary election on November 24, 2025, effectively nullifying the initial results.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga dismissed the accusations that President John Dramani Mahama is seeking a third term in office, describing the claim as baseless and potentially harmful to national discourse. Speaking on the AM Show, Ayariga said the Minority’s repeated claims could unintentionally plant the very idea they are warning against. He warned that persistent speculation could embolden some voices within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to start considering the idea even though the party has made no such proposal.
President Mahama has made it unequivocally clear his commitment to respecting the constitutional term limits placed on him. Ghana’s constitution limits presidents to serving a maximum of two four year terms in office. In the most recent Afrobarometer survey conducted in 2024, Ghanaians were split 71% to 27% in favor of the constitution limiting the president to serving a maximum of two terms in office.
Support for two term limits has remained consistently strong among Ghanaians, ranging between 70% and 80% across seven surveys conducted between 2002 and 2024. Additionally, 69% of Ghanaians supported the statement that in a democracy, it is better if power sometimes changes hands in elections from one political party to another, compared to only 37% who believe one party can continuously govern as long as elections remain free and fair.
The percentage of Ghanaians who reject one party rule increased from 78% in 1999 to 85% in 2024, demonstrating strong public opposition to political entrenchment. President Mahama, who previously served as president from 2012 to 2017, won the December 2024 general elections and was sworn into office on January 7, 2025 for his second and constitutionally final term.
