President John Evans Atta Mills has been explaining how he left out former President J.A. Kufuor and the Chief Justice Georgina Woode in his salutation ahead of his State of the Nation address in parliament on Thursday. The president has since apologized. The president greeted “Madam Speaker, Vice President, Honourable Members of the House ...", and then, apparently oblivious of the presence of the Chief Justice who sat next to him and former President Kufuor who also attended the address, and proceeded to deliver the address. However speaking to a cross section of the media at the Castle moments after the Parliamentary address, President Mills said, it was not intentional that he left out the dignitaries but was only following protocol and apologized to former President Kufour, the Chief Justice and members of the diplomatic corps. The President also seized the opportunity to comment on the conduct of the Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu who refused to accompany him out of the Chamber as custom demands. “Well it is his choice but I believe that there is a certain protocol in this country, there are certain things you do irrespective of your position and I think that we must all stick to the rules. I wouldn’t feel too happy if NPP President came and he was going out and an NDC minority or majority leader ...refuses to go out with him... whatever the circumstances let's follow protocol” President Mills chided.