Don’t contest 2020 polls – Mahama urged

President John Dramani Mahama should not run for president again although it is his constitutional right to contest for another four years, Dr Eric Oduro-Osae, Dean of Graduate Studies at the Institute of Local Government Studies, has said.

There have been speculations as to whether Mr Mahama will contest the 2020 elections or retire from politics after he hands over power to President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Saturday January 7. The National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC Kofi Adams) has said he will be surprised if Mr Mahama does not contest again.

Contributing to the discussion on 505 on Class91.3FM, Dr Oduro-Osae advised Mr Mahama to bow out now that his applause is loudest.

Dr Oduro-Osae told Emefa Apawu: “If I have the opportunity of advising him (Mahama), I will advise him to bow out. I will advise him that now that the applause is loudest, I’ll advise him that at this point in time you’ve served your tenure for four years. Although the constitution allows [him] to come in for another four years, in his own interest and for his own integrity and for the purpose of consolidating the gains he has made as far as adding on to the democratic development of this country, he should just bow out and allow the NDC to look for another candidate.”

Mr Mahama took office as president on 24 July, 2012, following the death of his predecessor, John Evans Atta Mills.

He was elected to serve his first full term as president in the December 2012 election. He ran for a second term in the 2016 election, but was defeated by the New Patriotic Party’s Nana Akufo-Addo.

Mr Mahama took office as president on 24 July, 2012, following the death of his predecessor, John Evans Atta Mills. He is the first vice president to have ascended to the presidency due to the death of his predecessor.

He was elected to serve his first full term as president in the December 2012 election. He ran for re-election for a second full term in the 2016 election, but was defeated by the New Patriotic Party’s Nana Akufo-Addo.