Former President John Dramani Mahama has empathised with the late President Kwame Nkrumah over the 24 February 1966 Coup which toppled his government.

Mr Mahama made the comments when he recounted the events leading to the 1966 Coup, exactly 57 years ago, today, 24 February 2023.

In a Facebook post, the former President said: "57 years ago today, 24th February 1966, the Danquah-Busiah political tradition conspired with external intelligence agencies to initiate Ghana's first coup d'etat, which toppled the government of our first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah."

Mr Mahama noted: "This coup was achieved through a conscious and constant campaign of falsehood and calumny.

"As a former President of Ghana who has also been at the receiving end of the Danquah-Busia tradition's campaign of slander and sabotage, I can empathise completely with the quandary President Nkrumah found himself in."

Mr Mahama stressed that: "In 1966, I was a young boy still in primary school. But I remember highlights of the dark days that followed the February 24, 1966 coup.

"The perpetrators woefully failed to liberate Ghana as they had promised. They instead initiated a long nightmare that destroyed Nkrumah's vision for Ghana and Africa."

He called on Ghanaians to remain loyal to the 1992 Constitution as they reflect on the 1966 Coup, today.

"As today marks 57 years of that coup d'etat, I call on all fellow Ghanaians and our patriotic security agencies and armed forces to mark this day as one of reflection and to remain loyal to the 1992 Constitution as we begin the task of rescuing our dear nation from the dark pit the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has plunged us into."

He also urged "all Africans to give meaningful democracy a chance, the very reason for which I am presently here in Nigeria as Head of the West African Elders Forum on an election mediation mission, as the country votes on Saturday."