The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has filed a writ at the Supreme Court seeking an interpretation of the constitutional provisions on presidential term limits in the country.
The move could affect President John Dramani Mahama’s eligibility to contest the 2028 elections, although he has consistently indicated that he does not intend to seek another term.
The writ, filed against the Attorney General, is asking the Supreme Court to clarify whether the two-term limit for a President applies to consecutive and non-consecutive terms.
The document, dated October 23, 2026, lists the NPP, based at Asylum Down in Accra, as the plaintiff and the Attorney General as the defendant.
Among the reliefs sought, the NPP wants the Supreme Court to declare that a person cannot be elected President more than twice and cannot hold the office for more than two four-year terms, regardless of whether the terms are served consecutively or at different times.
“A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Articles 58(2) and 66(1), (2) and (3)(a) of the Constitution, “two terms” stipulated as the limit on the terms a person may hold office as President of Ghana refers to and means a maximum of two terms whether served by a person consecutively or non-consecutively;
“A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Articles 58(2) and 66(1), (2) and (3)(a) of the Constitution, a person shall not be elected more than two times to hold office as President,” portions of the writ read.
The opposition party is also asking the court to clarify the constitutional position of a Vice-President who assumes the presidency for more than half of a predecessor’s unexpired term.
It wants the court to determine whether such a person would be eligible to contest for only one additional presidential term.
“A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Articles 58(2), 60(7), 63(2), 66(1) and (2) of the Constitution, a Vice-President who assumes office as President for more than half of the unexpired term of a President is only eligible to contest to be elected as President for one term, whether in an election held before the end of the unexpired term of the President he succeeded or at another election held in the future,” the document stated.
Another relief sought concerns a person who has previously served one term as President. The party is asking the court to declare that such a person would be eligible to serve for only one more term.
The writ invokes Articles 58, 60, 63 and 66 of the 1992 Constitution, which cover aspects of presidential powers, succession to the presidency, presidential elections and term limits.
The document has therefore directed the Attorney General to file a statement of the defendant’s case within 14 days after being served with the plaintiff’s statement of case, including the day of service.
