Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, a former vice president and the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidate in the general election of 2024, has strongly cautioned party members against the increasing trend of introducing ethnicity and tribalism into the party’s internal politics.
Before the NPP’s presidential primary, which is set for January 31, 2026, he made the call.
The party’s fight to regain control in the general election of 2028 will be led by the elected flagbearer.
Speaking at the NPP Constituency Chairmen Caucus Conference on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Bawumia called recent attempts to use religious and ethnic sentiments for political ends “very dangerous” and a direct danger to the party’s unity and long-term viability.
The former NPP presidential candidate told the party officials, who enthusiastically greeted his message of unity, “It is very, very important that we don’t allow people to come in with explanations that are not factual, that are made up, and that divide our party.”
Dr. Bawumia made the remark in response to some of the party’s flagbearer candidates and its officials launching religious and ethnic attacks against him.
Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, who is running for the party’s 2028 flagbearer, recently told a gathering of party members that he should be chosen because the NPP lost the 2024 election because Christians refused to support Dr. Bawumia, a Muslim.
Dr. Steven Amoah, a leading Kennedy Agyapong advocate and NPP MP for Nhyiaeso, stated a few days ago that Ghanaian Christians are not prepared to support a Muslim government.
Dr. Bawumia is the target of what is perceived as a religious campaign.
Dr. Bawumia reminded the party members and constituency chairmen of the principles that the NPP upholds as a national party.
“We are a united party encompassing people from all ethnic groups and all religions, and we are all part of the elephant family. It is therefore very important that we do not allow people, for the sake of political advantage, to bring us apart as a party. I’m saying this because recently people are going religious and tribal. That’s dangerous for the New Patriotic Party. Very dangerous for us if you go in that direction,” Dr. Bawumia stated.
Dr. Bawumia called the “religious campaigners'” assertion that the NPP lost because Christians did not support its flagbearer “baseless,” emphasizing that the Mike Oquaye Committee’s conclusions, which looked into the reasons why the NPP lost the 2024 election, did not support the claim.
“What is clear, and it is stated in black and white in the Oquaye report, as well as all the other surveys, is that religion and tribe were not factors in the 2024 election. So we should not try to create and say that Christians would not vote for Bawumia. My 4.7 million votes, were there only Muslims who voted for me? It is not possible. All voted for me. When Kufuor lost, did we say religion? When Mills lost, did we say religion? When Nana Akufo-Addo lost, did we say religion? That is not a factor, but people want to make it a factor for political reasons,” Dr. Bawumia stated.
He informed the chairmen of the NPP constituencies that if religion had been the real reason for his defeat, he would not have run for the position of NPP flagbearer again.
“If that was the case, I wouldn’t have contested at all. I would have stepped aside if that were the case because I’m not a selfish person. I value the party. If that was the case, I would have stepped aside because I would not jeopardise the ability of the party to win the 2028 election. I would have stepped aside, but that is not the case. People are trying to do that for their own political advantage, and it is really dangerous for our party,” Dr. Bawumia stated.
The former vice president’s intervention is interpreted as an effort to create a cohesive atmosphere for the party’s anticipated hotly contested primary season.
NPP insiders claim that Dr. Bawumia’s emphasis on inclusivity and evidence-based politics may appeal to a constituency that is growing more cautious of internal strife.
Although the former vice president did not specifically identify any rival, it was clear from the underlying meaning of his comments that he believed the use of identity politics to be both strategically foolish and morally reprehensible.
“Our strength lies in our diversity. Let us reject any voice, no matter how loud, that seeks to divide us on lines of tribe or faith,” Dr. Bawumia concluded.
As the NPP plots its course for 2028, Dr. Bawumia has unapologetically positioned himself as a candidate driven by discipline, unity, and the good of the country.
Source: newsthemegh.com