Nkrumah’s Legacy Must Rise Above Partisan Politics – NAPO
NAPO says Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s contribution to Ghana and Africa should be respected beyond political divisions.
- NAPO calls for Nkrumah’s legacy to transcend partisan politics
- He urges Ghanaians to prioritise national unity and patriotism
- NAPO calls for renewed commitment to Nkrumah’s ideals
Former NPP Running Mate Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh has called on Ghanaians to rise above partisan politics and collectively uphold the legacy of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Dr Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, made the call during a surprise appearance at the 2026 NkrumahFest at Nkroful in the Western Region on Saturday, September 19, as part of activities to commemorate Dr Nkrumah’s 117th birthday.
His appearance came amid renewed attention to comments he made about Dr Nkrumah during the 2024 election campaign.
At an NPP event in Kumasi where he was unveiled as the party’s running mate, NAPO said no president since independence had done more for Ghana than then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, adding that “not even your Kwame Nkrumah” had moved the country forward and protected it in the same way.
He later apologised, saying he did not intend to disrespect Dr Nkrumah or any former president.
Addressing the gathering at Nkroful, NAPO said Nkrumah’s contribution to Ghana and Africa should not be diminished by partisan political differences.
He described Nkrumah’s vision as expansive and strongly Pan-African, stressing that his legacy should be respected across the political divide.
“Nkrumah’s vision was expansive, visionary and fiercely Pan-African. Therefore, celebrating him in this magnificent defensive manner in his home district is a duty incumbent upon all of us,” he said.
NAPO urged Ghanaians to place national unity and patriotism above political divisions when reflecting on Nkrumah’s contribution to the country.
“True patriotism demands that we rise above partisan narrowness to honour those who laid the bedrock upon which our present democracy and national identity rests,” he added.
He also called for a renewed commitment to selfless service, patriotism, national unity and national development in preserving the ideals associated with Dr Nkrumah.
NAPO further described NkrumahFest as a platform that should bring Ghanaians from different political backgrounds together to reflect on the former president’s contribution to Ghana and Africa.
