Accra: A research fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr John Osae-Kwapong, has cautioned President John Dramani Mahama against allowing ongoing discussions about a possible third presidential term to overshadow an opportunity to build a legacy.
According to Ghana Web, Dr Osae-Kwapong argues that if the justification for a third term is based on a president's performance and ability to deliver good governance, then former President John Agyekum Kufuor would have qualified under the same reasoning and should have been allowed to extend his tenure. Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV, Dr Osae-Kwapong highlighted that President Mahama's return to office after previous electoral defeats presents him with a unique opportunity for political redemption.
'I don't think this is even the note on which he wants to end his redemption story of having lost two elections, come back, and being given the chance to leave us with a good legacy,' he said. 'So, no matter the temptations, let me end on this note,' citinewsroom.com quoted him during the interview.
Dr Osae-Kwapong questioned why a president's good performance should be used as a basis for seeking an extension of the constitutional limit. He cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor's tenure, pointing out that despite receiving strong public approval ratings at the end of his second term, Kufuor did not seek to challenge the constitutional provision on presidential term limits.
He elaborated, 'If you think of the state of the country in 2008, and if you think of the fact that in the history of Afrobarometer, no year has received such great ratings about governance and government performance, then President Kufuor could have easily said, 'I've done a good job. Ghanaians have even said it. Let's ask the courts to try and see if maybe two terms don't mean, or if it means something else.' But he didn't.'
Dr Osae-Kwapong further stated, 'For me, the African problem is not one of how many years you get to serve in office, regardless of the good work or otherwise that you do.' He emphasized that term limits serve as a protection, allowing a good president to exit when the applause is loudest, but also ensuring that a bad president can depart to prevent further harm to citizens.
The discussion arises as a case is presented before the Supreme Court, where two citizens are seeking an interpretation of Article 66 of the 1992 Constitution, which states that no person shall be elected President for more than two terms.