John Mahama becomes first one-term president since 1992

Ghana adopted the Fourth Republican Constitution in 1992 in pursuance of multi-party democracy after long and torturous years of military rule, and this is the first time a president elected under the system has been voted out after the first four-year term in office.

The first president under the Republic, military leader turned civilian politician, Jerry John Rawlings of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had two four year terms from 1992 to 2000. President John Agyekum Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) served two terms from 2001 to 2009.

The Late President John Evans Atta-Mills didn’t complete his term, as he died while in office – the first in Ghana’s history for a sitting president to die. He was therefore president from 2009 to 2012, and John Mahama replaced him and served the remaining term.

John Mahama was elected in 2012, after a controversial election that was challenged in the country’s Supreme Court. He was able to serve the full term after the Court decided in his favour. Interestingly, the Court case to decide his fate was between him and the man who has defeated him, Nana Akufo-Addo.

By Emmanuel K Dogbevi
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