President John Dramani Mahama has set the record straight that he has no intention of extending his two-term tenure as Ghana's president.

He has silenced allegations that his government is plotting to extend his term beyond the legal presidential limits, reaffirming that he will not be on the ballot in 2028.

President Mahama made these remarks during a bilateral meeting with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam as part of his three-day state visit.

He said this position places him in a stronger position to enforce fiscal discipline and curb the recurring election-year overspending that has contributed to Ghana’s cyclical economic crises.

According to him, he has no reason to bend fiscal rules and embezzle state funds just to win elections, assuring that this is his last term as president.

“I will not be a candidate in the next elections, and therefore I can hold the line when it comes to fiscal discipline,” he assured.

The President highlighted economic gains recorded since his return to office in 2024, including rapid declines in inflation and interest rates, as well as a significant appreciation of the cedi.

His remarks come amid claims by some critics, particularly members of the opposition party, NPP General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, who alleged that the attempts to sack the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo were part of a broader scheme to reinterpret Article 66(2) of Ghana’s Constitution to favour the president to contest another term.

Kodua claimed that some individuals were pushing the idea that the two-term limit only applies to consecutive terms, which would allow Mahama, whose terms were non-consecutive, to run again.

“I am telling you, certain people plan to interpret Article 66(2) of the Constitution to mean that the two-term limit refers to two successive terms. Therefore, because Mahama contested and lost before winning later, they argue that he is eligible to contest again since his terms were not successive. Mark today’s date, April 24, 2025; we will return to this issue. If that were not the case, the Chief Justice would not have been asked to stay home based on a frivolous petition, he stated during an appearance on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo on April 24, 2025.

Another opposition member and leader of the Minority Caucus in the President's appointment of seven Court of Appeal judges to the Supreme Court, calling it a “ploy” to advance a third-term agenda.

At a press conference on May 1, 2025, he warned that the move threatened judicial independence and constitutional balance.

“It is obvious that Mr. President’s bold attempt to nominate, out of the blue, seven judges to the Supreme Court is the first major step in what appears to be a rehearsed third-term agenda. All that the NDC is doing, everything our President is doing, under the advice of the hawks within the NDC, is aimed at setting the stage for a third-term bid.”

He went on to caution:

“We must not be silent. This is a national issue that transcends partisan lines. The integrity of our justice system is at stake, and we must resist any attempt to convert it into a political tool.”

These claims were widely rejected by Mahama himself and by senior figures in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), including Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the constitutional two-term limit.

However, these claims were largely rejected by the government, which assured Ghanaians of its respect for the public mandate.

Additionally, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), publicly rejected the idea of Mahama seeking a third term, saying:

“No, please. We have never run our party in ways that conflict with the national constitution. And we don’t intend to do that.”

The bilateral talks in Singapore also focused on strengthening economic cooperation and boosting investment opportunities between Ghana and Singapore.

Per the constitution, a president has at most two terms to serve the country. A term comprises four years.

Article 66 of the 1992 Constitution indicates the following:

(1) A person elected as President shall, subject to clause (3) of this article, hold office for a term of four years beginning from the date on which he is sworn in as President.

(2) A person shall not be elected to hold office as President of Ghana for more than two terms.

(3) The office of President shall become vacant—

(a) on the expiration of the period specified in clause (1) of this article; or

(b) if the incumbent dies or resigns from office or ceases to hold office under article 69 of this Constitution.

(4) The President may, by writing signed by him, and addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, resign from his office as President.(1) A person elected as President shall, subject to clause (3) of this article, hold office for a term of four years beginning from the date on which he is sworn in as President.

(2) A person shall not be elected to hold office as President of Ghana for more than two terms.

The late President Atta-Mills, who won the 2008 elections passed away in July 2012, and as such, his then Vice President, Mahama, became President due to the vacancy left.

He completed Mills' tenure and in 2013, managed to win the elections to be elected President. He lost the seat to now President Akufo-Addo in the 2016 elections. As such, he governed Ghana for one term, and per the constitution, he is entitled to another as he laces his boots for the 2024 elections.

Mahama won the 2024 elections, as such he would not be able to contest the 2028 elections.

Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia lost the 2024 presidential election, with John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) securing 6,328,397 valid votes, representing 56.55%, against Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s 4,657,304 votes, representing 41.61%.