Ghana Supreme Court faces suits over presidential term limits

The Supreme Court of Ghana is currently reviewing five legal suits seeking an interpretation of presidential term limits under Article 66(2) of the 1992 Constitution. The central dispute is whether the two-term limit serves as an absolute lifetime cap or if it applies only to consecutive terms.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has filed a suit requesting the court declare that no person can hold office for more than eight years in total, regardless of whether the terms are consecutive or non-consecutive. The party also seeks clarity on whether a Vice-President who serves more than half of an unexpired term is eligible to contest for only one additional term.

Economic Policy Analyst Senyo Hosi has predicted the court will dismiss the cases, arguing they lack merit and that the constitutional language is already clear. Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has dismissed the legal actions as a scaremongering tactic by the NPP, denying that there is any movement toward a third term for President John Dramani Mahama.