Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Vice Presidential Candidate, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as Napo, has insisted that his controversial comments about Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, were deliberately distorted during the 2024 election campaign for political advantage.
According to Dr. Opoku Prempeh, his remarks were taken out of context by political opponents and sections of the media in an effort to create a negative public perception about him.
Speaking at the Department of Political Science of the University of Ghana, where he reflected on his experience as running mate to Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr. Opoku Prempeh said he was not surprised by the backlash that followed his comments, describing it as one of the realities of political communication.
He argued that political opponents often seize upon statements and reinterpret them to fit their own narratives.
“When I talked about Nkrumah, most of the reportage was twisted. I live in a political space, and when people want to twist your words, they will always do. But I can assure you that it will only last a short time,” he said.
The former Energy Minister maintained that his comments had been clear but were intentionally misrepresented by those seeking political gain.
Addressing perceptions about his personality, Dr. Opoku Prempeh rejected claims that he is arrogant, describing such characterisations as politically manufactured.
He revealed that before accepting the role of running mate, he undertook a personal assessment of the possible criticisms that could be directed at him and anticipated that some political actors would attempt to portray him negatively.
“Before I started this running mate role, nobody ever went on air and said I was arrogant. But they did an analysis and tagged me as such. Every radio commentator said the same thing, but none of them had even met me,” he stated.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh said he remains unfazed by such criticisms, insisting that attempts to deliberately misrepresent public figures are often exposed over time.
“I don’t let it bother me because those who do that are easily found,” he added.
The controversy stems from remarks he made during his unveiling in Kumasi on June 9, 2024, when he stated that no president in Ghana’s history, including Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, had outperformed former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The comments triggered widespread public criticism, with many Ghanaians demanding an apology and retraction.
Amid the growing backlash, Dr. Opoku Prempeh subsequently issued an apology, expressing regret over the controversy generated by the remarks while clarifying that he had intended to highlight what he considered the achievements of the Akufo-Addo administration rather than diminish the historical significance of Ghana’s founding President.
