Nana Akomea Calls On Mahama To Apologise To Akufo-Addo Over Honorary Doctorates

According to a report by MyJoyOnline on October 31, 2026, the Third National Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to apologise to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over his previous comments concerning the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on serving presidents.

Nana Akomea’s demand follows President Mahama’s acceptance of another honorary doctorate from Russia’s Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University). He believes the latest recognition raises questions about the President’s consistency, considering his previous criticism of similar honours received by his predecessor while in office.

In a Facebook post, Nana Akomea recalled that when Akufo-Addo received honorary degrees during his presidency, Mahama, who was then the opposition leader, questioned the appropriateness of universities conferring such awards on serving presidents. According to him, Mahama had argued that the former President should have waited until leaving office so his performance could be properly assessed.

He further recalled that Mahama had suggested that Akufo-Addo was taking advantage of the influence associated with his presidential position to obtain honorary recognition from academic institutions. Nana Akomea believes the current President’s acceptance of similar honours makes his previous arguments difficult to reconcile with his present actions.

The NPP executive also pointed out that President Mahama has received approximately three or four honorary doctorate degrees despite spending less than two years in his current administration. He expressed happiness about the latest recognition but maintained that the President’s position on the matter appears inconsistent with his earlier criticism of Akufo-Addo.

Nana Akomea therefore believes an apology to the former President would demonstrate accountability and protect Mahama’s integrity. His comments have brought renewed attention to the debate surrounding honorary academic awards for sitting presidents, particularly the expectations of consistency in the public positions taken by political leaders.

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