Bawumia: Tribal bigotry against me shows desperation of opponents

Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has condemned the tribal bigotry directed against him in the party’s flagbearer race.

His remarks come in response to a viral video in which fellow flagbearer aspirant Dr. Bryan Acheampong tells party members that the NPP should replace Dr. Bawumia as its presidential candidate. Acheampong claimed that Bawumia’s Mamprusi identity contributed to the NPP’s loss of Kusasi votes in 2024 due to the ongoing Mamprusi-Kusasi conflict.

Addressing party members in New York during the 33rd Anniversary celebration of NPP USA on Sunday night, Dr. Bawumia stated, “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. Another contender has also been promoting religious bias against me.”

He further remarked, “When I was defending the party in the Supreme Court in 2013, they did not refer to me as a Mamprusi, a northerner, or a Muslim. So what has changed? Why now?”

Desperation
He expressed that this bigotry has revealed the desperation and dangerous nature of some internal opponents, questioning why he and his wife did not face such attacks while they were actively supporting the party. “We have always been a party that provides hope to the diverse populations of our country. Under our umbrella, it has never mattered where you come from—whether Sefwi, Fante, Ewe, Ashanti, Ga-Dangbe, Krobo, Dagomba, Wala, Dagarti, Konkomba, Frafra, Kusasi, or Mamprusi.”

Optimism
Despite his disappointment with the tribal and religious campaigns against him and his wife, Dr. Bawumia remains optimistic.

He cautioned the “tribal and religious bigots” that their efforts would fail, as they do not reflect the views of the NPP.

“Let us be clear that these views do not represent the perspectives of the rank and file of the party,” he said.