The 2024 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has disclosed that a fellow aspirant within the party has resorted to tribal politics in the troubled Bawku enclave.
Equating the wave of tribal and religious bigotry in the party to dangerous propaganda ahead of the presidential primary, sometime in January 20204, Dr. Bawumia expressed deep concern over the unfolding mudslinging.
“As we prepare to go into the primary, I am very, very concerned and troubled that some of our presidential aspirants have embarked on religious and tribal bigotry against me in a desperate attempt to win votes,” he said.
“They have completely ignored the real reasons behind our 2024 electoral defeat and want to mislead delegates and the party with such propaganda.”
According to Dr. Bawumia, who previously served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), some aspirants have falsely claimed that his candidature caused the NPP to lose support in Bawku.
“One such issue that has come up and I think is important for all of us to know, is the Mamprusi–Kusasi conflict,” he said.
Referring to Bryan Acheampong, a former Minister of Agriculture under the Akufo-Addo administration, Dr. Bawumia accused him of stoking tribal sentiments by suggesting that because he belongs to the Kusasi ethnic group, the NPP will remain unpopular in the area.
“An aspirant has said that there is no vote for me because I am a Mamprusi man and that we will lose votes in Kusasi and other areas. This is very unfortunate and demonstrates a complete lack of understanding on the ground,” he lamented.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia made these remarks while addressing the 33rd anniversary of the NPP New York branch in the United States of America yesterday.
Refuting claims attributed to Bryan Acheampong, who is also seeking to lead the NPP, Dr. Bawumia explained that the NPP’s electoral record in the Bawku enclave has historically been weak, irrespective of his involvement.
“Since 1965, our tradition has contested elections in the Bawku zone. Out of six constituencies, the NPP has consistently struggled. In 1965, we had zero seats.
“In 1969, we won two seats. In 1979, under Victor Owusu, we had zero seats. In 1996, we had zero again. In 2000, we had one seat. In 2004, under President Kufuor, we had zero seats. In 2008, we won one seat,” he outlined.
“Fast forward, in 2012 under President Akufo-Addo, we had zero seats. In 2016, we managed two seats. In 2020, we won one seat, but lost it in 2024. So, clearly, the Bawku zone is not a stronghold of the NPP.”
Dr. Bawumia emphasized that between 1965 and 2024, out of eleven elections, the NPP had zero seats in six contests within the Bawku enclave.“In 2024, when you put the six constituencies together, we lost by just 30,000 votes. That shows the Bawku factor was not decisive in our national loss,” he stressed.
He therefore dismissed Bryan Acheampong’s claim that the Bawku election accounted for the NPP’s 2024 defeat.
“It is not the Bawku election that made us lose the 2024 elections. We must be clear on this. The Bawku factor was not a factor in the national outcome, and we should stop moving in that direction,” he concluded.
