Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Wontumi
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, has called on ex-President Jerry John Rawlings to advise former President John Mahama not to run for president again.
Mr. Boasiako, popularly called ‘Wontumi,’ has vowed not to allow Mr. Mahama to make a comeback.
He stated that legally Mr. Mahama completed two terms as president and should not be permitted to contest for the position again in 2020.
Wontumi insisted that Mr. Mahama’s 2020 presidential ambition is illegal per the constitution.
The Ashanti Regional NPP chairman, therefore, appealed to NDC’s founder, Jerry John Rawlings, to stop Mr. Mahama from breaching the law.
Wontumi also entreated the judiciary and the legislature to critically study the law and declare the bid of Mr. Mahama as illegal.
Mr. Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) suffered a humiliating defeat in 2016 at the hands of the NPP.
Wontumi strongly argued that legally Mr. Mahama doesn’t qualify to contest for the president of the country and must be stopped now.
“I don’t have any malicious agenda against Mr. Mahama but the right thing must be done.”
According to him, the constitution states that presidents of the country can only be in office for two terms and so Mr. Mahama doesn’t qualify.
He argued that Mr. Mahama completed the term of late President Mills and subsequently won elections in 2012.
Wontumi cited Article 66 Clause (3b) of the 1992 constitution to buttress his claim that Mr. Mahama would breach the law if he vie for the position again.
“Article 66 (3b) states that Mr. Mahama completed President Mills’ term when he died, and so Mr. Mahama has also completed his two terms.”
Wontumi said he had written an open letter to the legislature and the judiciary, as well as ex-President Rawlings, to urge Mr. Mahama to do the right thing.
“Mr. Mahama has been enjoying all the benefits of an ex-president ever since he completed his two terms and I will urge him to continue to do so peacefully.”
From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi