Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) vice-presidential candidate, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has defended his controversial remarks about Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, insisting that his comments were misunderstood and never intended to undermine the late statesman’s legacy.
Speaking in a video, the former Energy Minister said the remarks were made during a political event organised by the NPP and were intended to distinguish between the political ideals of Kwame Nkrumah and those of the United Party tradition from which the NPP traces its roots.
“Even in Twi, I never said anything wrong against Nkrumah, if you want to be truthful,” he stated.
According to NAPO, his comments formed part of a broader political discussion and should not be interpreted as a personal attack on Ghana’s first president.
“It was an NPP political platform and I wanted to make a distinction between Kwame Nkrumah’s values and United Party values,” he explained.
The former minister argued that political differences should not automatically be viewed as acts of disrespect, drawing an analogy with football rivalries.
“If I’m a Manchester United fan and you support Chelsea, it doesn’t mean I’m attacking you because I support my team,” he said.
NAPO maintained that the controversy surrounding his remarks arose largely from the way they were interpreted after they became public.
His comments come months after his original remarks sparked widespread debate across the political spectrum, with critics accusing him of downplaying Nkrumah’s contribution to Ghana’s development. At the same time, supporters argued that his comments were taken out of context.
The former vice-presidential candidate reiterated that he holds Kwame Nkrumah in high regard and that he intended to discuss differing political philosophies rather than diminish the former president’s historical significance.
