NPP Accuses President Mahama of Third-Term Ambitions Amid Rising Legal and Political Tensions

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has launched a series of high-profile challenges against President John Mahama’s administration, accusing the incumbent leader of orchestrating a “veiled third-term agenda.” NPP National Organiser Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B) recently voiced concerns over legal applications to the Supreme Court regarding the interpretation of Article 66 of the 1992 Constitution, suggesting these moves aim to extend the President’s tenure beyond the 2028 elections. While President Mahama has publicly committed to constitutional term limits, the NPP warns that any reinterpretation could trigger significant political instability. Simultaneously, former MP Joseph Cudjoe has questioned the President’s commitment to scrapping ex-gratia payments, noting that a recent government White Paper suggests establishing an Independent Public Emoluments Commission rather than abolishing the payments as previously promised.

Amidst these national debates, the NPP is intensifying its internal organization for the 2028 electoral cycle. John Boadu, an aspiring National Chairman, has commenced a nationwide engagement tour starting in the Oti Region to unite party structures and mobilize grassroots support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s presidential ambitions. In the Ashanti Region, chairmanship aspirant Odeneho Kwaku Appiah (COKA) is also actively campaigning to rebuild party structures, facing competition from Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu. Furthermore, the party is looking internationally, with Dr. William Yamoah leading a vetting process for the NPP Germany branch elections scheduled for August 8, 2026, emphasizing the need for issue-based campaigns and party cohesion.

The judicial landscape has also become a flashpoint for political friction following the Court of Appeal’s unanimous acquittal of former MASLOC Chief Executive Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu. While legal practitioners like Nana Yaw Osei have urged the public to respect the court's decision on the burden of proof, former Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah Yeboah criticized the ruling as “legally weak.” In the Wa West District, tensions have escalated into violence following the custodial death of youth leader Tijani Abu in Wechiau. Traditional leaders and MP Peter Lanchene Toobu have demanded an independent probe into allegations of police brutality, as subsequent clashes between civilians and security forces resulted in several injuries from stray bullets, disrupting the peace in the region.

On the diplomatic front, Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has been managing several sensitive international issues. He recently confirmed that Ohene Kwame Frimpong, the MP for Asante Akim North, is receiving consular assistance in the Netherlands following his detention under a U.S. extradition order. Minister Ablakwa also moved to debunk rumors that Ghana had been removed from South Africa’s visa-free travel list, reassuring the public that the reciprocal agreement remains in effect. Domestically, the government is pushing forward with its agricultural agenda, as Minister for Communication Samuel Nartey George distributed 3,500 bags of fertiliser to farmers in Ningo-Prampram under the Feed Ghana Programme to enhance food security.

As the Mahama administration navigates these domestic and diplomatic challenges, broader policy shifts are taking root. The National Biosafety Authority recently released its Fifth National Report, marking Ghana’s transition to an active regulatory body for genetically modified materials, while the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has issued its first licenses for medicinal and industrial cannabis cultivation. However, the International Justice Mission (IJM) and other stakeholders are urging the government to better integrate victim protection into anti-trafficking and anti-galamsey efforts. These developments, coupled with international shifts such as U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plans for Gaza and new immigration fees, continue to shape the complex political environment in which Ghana operates.