Former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has sent a clear message to some his internal opponents in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries, who he said have resorted to “unfortunate” tribal and religious campaign against him.
Addressing party members in New York Sunday night during the 33rd Anniversary celebration of NPP USA, Dr. Bawumia expressed disbelief over the development, which he said, represented the views of only “the bigots” and not the true values of the NPP.
Before his address Sunday, a viral video of flagbearer aspirant, Bryan Acheampong, emerged, in which Acheampong told delegates that the NPP ought to change Bawumia as its presidential candidate because as a Mamprusi, the NPP lost Kusasi votes in 2024 due to the Mamprusi-Kusasi conflict.
Addressing the NPP faithful in New York, Dr. Bawumia referenced Acheampong’s comment as “tribal bigotry,” describing it as “unfortunate,” as well as other tribal and religious comments by other aspirants and their assigns, and wondered why his religious and tribal affiliations were being used against him now.
“An opponent has said delegates should not vote for me because I am Mamprusi and that we will lose votes in the Kusasi areas. This is so unfortunate,” he said.
“Another contender against me, has also been promoting the religion card against me.”
Continuing with examples of “religious and tribal bigotry” against him and his family, Dr. Bawumia also referenced a recent claim by a former NPP minister and ambassador, as well as a Kennedy Agyapong campaign coordinator, Asomah-Cheremeh, who urged NPP delegates not to vote for Bawumia to become the NPP’s flagbearer again because his wife, Samira, according to Asomah-Cheremeh, was not a true Ghanaian.
“Recently, Mr. Asomah-Cheremeh, a former minister, former ambassador, and former regional chairman of Bono and a coordinator for Kennedy Agyapong has introduced a new argument into the mix. He says that delegates should not vote for me because my wife Samira is not a true Ghanaian. Really??? So how can we campaign to minorities in a general election? Just unbelievable.”
The former Vice President said, the bigotry has made him realise ”how desperate and dangerous” some of the internal opponents have become, and wondered why he and his wife did not suffer such attacks when they were working for the party.
“When I was defending the party in the Supreme Court in 2013 they did not say that I was a Mamprusi, a northerner, or a Muslim,” he said.
“When I was giving lectures and campaigning for the party to come into office in 2016, they did not say that I was a Mamprusi, a northerner, or a Muslim.”
“When my campaign in the north made the difference in our winning the 2020 election, they did not say I was a Mamprusi, a northerner, or a Muslim.”
“When Samira was campaigning the length and breadth of Ghana for the party, they did not say she was not a true Ghanaian.”
“So what has changed? Why Now?”
Despite his disappointment in the tribal and religious campaign against him and his wife, Dr. Bawumia sounded optimistic and cautioned the ”tribal and religious bigots” that their mission would fail because it does not represent the views of the NPP and “the NPP will always triumph over tribal and religious bigots.”
“Let us be clear that these views do not represent the views of the rank and file of the party,” he said.
“We have been the party that has over the years offered hope to the largest diversity of our peoples. Under our tent it has not mattered where you come from. Whether you are a Sefwi, Fante, Ewe, Ashanti, Ga-Dangbe, Krobo, Dagomba, Wala, Dagarti, Konkomba, Frafra, Kusasi or Mamprusi.”
“It has not mattered what religion you practice (Whether you are a Christian, Muslim or a traditional African religious practitioner). It has not mattered whether you are rich or poor or whether you are formally educated or not.”