NPP must reject tribal, religious politics— Bawumia tells party
Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has strongly condemned what he described as the use of tribal and religious propaganda by some of his rivals in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer contest.
Speaking at the NPP’s 33rd Anniversary Celebration in New York on Sunday, August 24, Dr. Bawumia warned that such divisive tactics threaten to portray the party as exclusionary, undermining its unity and national appeal.
“The people playing the religion and tribal card clearly do not have a message. That propaganda is not only false but also dangerous for the NPP,” he told the gathering.
Dr. Bawumia dismissed claims by some aspirants that the party’s 2024 electoral defeat was due to his northern origin and Muslim faith, describing such narratives as both factually incorrect and politically desperate.
To support his position, he cited the Professor Mike Oquaye Committee Report, which examined the party’s 2024 loss.
According to the findings, religion and ethnicity were not significant factors in voter behaviour. Instead, nearly 80% of respondents attributed their decision to disappointment with the government’s performance.
He further pointed out that his personal vote tally in the 2024 presidential election exceeded that of several Christian parliamentary candidates in NPP strongholds, debunking claims of religious or tribal bias among voters.
Addressing another criticism, Dr. Bawumia rejected the assertion that the Mamprusi-Kusasi conflict in Bawku contributed to the party’s poor electoral performance.
“The Bawku conflict was not a factor in the outcome of the 2024 election. The data is clear,” he said.
He called on his competitors within the party to focus on policy-driven campaigns rather than resorting to identity politics.
“If you want to contest me, come with a vision, come with your ideas, come with your track record, come with your integrity and let us decide. Your message cannot be that I am a Muslim, a northerner, or a Mamprusi man. That is not the politics of the NPP.”
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