‘Mahama may not be able to run for president’ – Ken Kuranchi

The Editor of the Daily Searchlight Newspaper, Ken Kuranchi, is of the view that former President John Dramani Mahama may not be able to contest again as President or flagbearer.

He stated that according to Article 68 Clause 2 of the constitution, former presidents are not supposed to engage in any activities that provide profit or emolument.

“When it comes to former Presidents, there are limits as to how far he [John Mahama] can go,” Mr. Kuranchi said on Eyewitness News. Quoting the constitution, he said, “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.”

He explained further that once Mr. Mahama runs for flagbearer, it becomes a journey that is being done on behalf of the state which is directly against what the constitution provides.

He also said the flagbearer position would provide him a money making avenue.

“Doing politics costs a lot of money… When you engage in political activity, you raise money. John Mahama will need to raise money. He will need to spend money,” Mr. Kuranchi argued further.

In his view, Mr. Mahama was firmly under the laws of Ghana and further scrutiny of the limits of the law was needed.

“Once this person under the control of Parliament decides that he wants to engage in this specific activity, he needs to be examined. He needs to find out if that activity he decides to engage in is something that will bring profits or emoluments. You cannot conclude or say positively or not that it will bring emoluments or there are no emoluments unless you subject the particular exercise to some degree of examination.”

Mr. Kuranchi however said he’s not interested in pursuing the matter further, and that he’s only drawing attention to it.

Former President Mahama confirmed his presidential ambition to contest the party’s presidential primary, after his letter of intent was presented to the party on his behalf by a delegation led by Former Ambassador, Daniel Ohene Agyekum at the NDC headquarters Thursday, August 23, 2018, in Accra.

“I believe I owe a duty to God and my country to take our great party back into Government to right the wrongs of the past, and to put an end to the cries of the people under the current dispensation.”

Eleven members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have so far expressed interest in leading the party into the 2020 elections.They include former President John Dramani Mahama, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Sylvester Mensah, Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah; a former Trade and Industry Minister; Former Vice Chancellor of the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Prof. Joshua Alabi, Cape Coast South MP, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan and Goosie Tanoh.

Alban Bagbin, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Stephen Atubiga, member of NDC communications team; Elipklim Agbemava, a lawyer; David Doste Kwame Kuwadah; and a banker and oil and gas consultant, Nurideen Iddrisu.