The New Patriotic Party's (NPP) running mate for the 2024 election, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as Napo, has issued an apology for his comparison of the achievements of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to those of incumbent President Akufo-Addo.

In a statement on Friday, Napo clarified that his remarks earlier in the week were not intended to disrespect Dr. Nkrumah or any former heads of state.

His apology follows criticism from various quarters, including Deputy Minority Leader Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah and leaders of the Conventional People's Party (CPP), who demanded a retraction and apology for what they deemed a denigration of Dr. Nkrumah's legacy.

“The statement reflects my personal opinion about President Akufo-Addo’s impact relative to other Presidents we have had.

“I wish to emphasis that I never meant to disrespect our former President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah or any of our former heads of state, including my own grand uncle and mentor, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor,” portions of the statement read.

He acknowledged the concerns raised and expressed regret for any discomfort his statement may have caused, despite initially defending his remarks in the face of public backlash.

Read the full statement below: