Former President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) is asking President John Mahama to render an unqualified apology to ex-President and founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Jerry John Rawlings.

Sam Okudzeto says the outgoing President in his last State of the Nation Address Thursday must express regret for the way in which caused the NDC an embarrassment in the just ended December 7 elections.

In an exclusive interview with Joy News' Favour Nunoo Wednesday, he argued that Mr Mahama's loss constitutes a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

"He has to say farewell to us that is part of the reason why he has to say farewell to us...normally if you are leaving office you may first of all try to apologise to people you may have hurt or harm," he stressed. 

The NDC he said had put their hopes in Mr Mahama who lost the election, crushing the aspirations of numerous people who were banking their hopes of serving as ministers and in various capacities. 

The astute lawyer believes it is important that Mr Mahama amends the relationship between him and the ex-president Rawlings. 

"He [Mahama] has so much alienated himself from him [Rawlings] for which he needs to apologise for. Rawlings is the founder of the party and no matter what happens nobody can deny that. He needed to be accorded that respect. 

"I think a lot of the young people around Mahama had been rude to Rawlings and that is part of what he [Mahama] must on behalf of the people must apologise for in his address," he said. 

Mr Okudzeto advised the outgoing president not to be lured into running as a presidential candidate of the party in 2020

According to him, although the 1992 Constitution which prescribes two four-year term limits for presidents, it would be politically unwise if Mr Mahama runs as he can only govern for one term, which will be a continuation of his first term in official which ends on January 7.