Former President, John Dramani Mahama has been sued by a Ghanaian citizen over his bid to vie for a second presidential term on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In the suit filed by the Plaintiff; Kenneth Kwabena Agyei Kuranchie, he wants the Supreme Court to disqualify the former president from contesting as a flagbearer of a political party or the presidency in the future.
According to him, the constitution through Article 66 (1) of the 1992 Constitution indicates that a person seeking a second presidential term must be a sitting president and in the case of former President Mahama, he is only seeking to recontest after being out of office for about 8 years.
He also noted that per the provision in the constitution, a former president seeking re-election must seek parliamentary approval before going on with his ambitions.
The Plaintiff in the suit also indicated a number of things he wants as reliefs:
He wants the court to order the former president to fully disclose to parliament the terms of his engagement as a flagbearer of the NDC.
Mr. Agyei Kuranchie is also seeking that the Supreme Court directs the Speaker of Parliament to invoke and operationationalise Article 68 (2) of the 1992 Constitution which indicates that
[The President shall not, on leaving office as President, hold any office of profit or emolument, except with the permission of Parliament, in any establishment, either directly or indirectly, other than that of the State].
The Plaintiff is also seeking for the court to order Former President, John Agyekum Kufuor and Former President John Dramani Mahama to make available to parliament, all engagements not to do with the matters of the State of Ghana.
He also wants the court to order Mr. Mahama to seek parliamentary approval for his engagement as a Flagbearer of the NDC or in the alternative, desist from his presidential ambitions.
Article 66 (1) of the 1992 Constitution says;
(1) A person elected as President shall, subject to clause (3) of this article, hold office for a term of four years beginning from the date on which he is sworn in as President.
Article 68 (2) of the 1992 Constitution says;
(2) The President shall not, on leaving office as President, hold any office of profit or emolument, except with the permission of Parliament, in any establishment, either directly or indirectly, other than that of the State.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Solomon Nartey
