'This is a masterstroke' - Pratt reacts to Mahama's stance on 3rd term agenda

Managing Editor of The Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has described President John Dramani Mahama’s decision not to pursue a third presidential term as a ‘masterstroke’ that has protected both his legacy and Ghana’s democratic stability.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana and sighted by GhanaWeb on June 5, 2026, Pratt argued that the Constitution was clear on the matter and that any attempt by Mahama to seek another term would have required constitutional amendments and political manoeuvring that could have damaged his reputation.

“Clearly, clearly a masterstroke,” Pratt said.

He added that he never expected Mahama to pursue a third term because of the president’s political character and long-standing respect for constitutional limits.

According to him, the debate over a third term should be considered settled, stressing that there had been no formal offer for Mahama to either accept or reject because the constitution bars him from seeking another mandate.

Mahama rejects third-term push at closed-door meeting with NDC elders

Pratt further praised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for publicly distancing itself from any campaign pushing a third-term agenda for the president.

He warned that individuals who promoted such ambitions risked undermining the country’s political climate and creating divisions within the party.

“If President Mahama agreed to go along with them, it would have poisoned the whole political atmosphere,” he said.

He cautioned that similar political ambitions in other countries had contributed to instability and weakened democratic systems.

He stressed that Mahama’s decision demonstrated political foresight, arguing that the president understood the implications of such a move on his legacy and Ghana’s democratic image.

MRA/VPO

Don’t trade African Values for modernity — Archbishop Anokye tells Pan-African Parliament