Deputy General-Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Otokunor says there is no reason for former President John Dramani Mahama to apologise for allegedly endorsing the “Akyem Sakawa Mafia” comment.

This according to him is because, the words have been taken out of context by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its 2020 flagbearer, President Akufo-Addo.

Arguing his stance on JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday, Mr. Otokunor explained that the tag was in relation to a selected group of people in government and not every member of the Akyem tribe.

“Indeed we are talking about the Agyapa Deal and how fraudulent we think it has been, and how a group of people from the president’s family are planning to dupe an entire country.

"And that is where the tag came from. It doesn’t mean all Akyems are ‘Sakawa’ boys” he said.

Mr. Otokunor also backed earlier assertions by the NDC's flagbearer, John Mahama that President Akufo-Addo has no right to demand an apology or criticize being called names.

He insisted that the leadership of the governing party since 2016 has resorted to a “name calling campaign” and so had no reason to complain.

“We have had occasions where President Mahama has been called ‘incompetent Mahama’, which ruins his title as a President.

"On no occasion did President Akufo-Addo and his running mate call President Mahama a President with the word incompetent in exclusion,” he said.

Mr Otokunor insists that the party is not looking at retracting the statement, as the topic has only become an issue of national concern because of President Akufo-Addo's reactions.

"There is not going to be an apology about it.

"We are only discussing this because of the President's reaction. Mahama did not express that level of anger, and that is why we didn't have everybody discussing it and calling for an apology".