Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has strongly condemned what he calls tribal and religious propaganda being used against his candidacy ahead of the party’s 2026 presidential primaries.
Speaking to party supporters on Sunday, August 24, Dr. Bawumia described the tactics as desperate and dangerous, warning that they risk sowing division within the NPP at a critical time.
“As we head into the primaries, I am deeply troubled that some of our aspirants have resorted to tribal and religious bigotry against me. Instead of focusing on the real reasons behind our loss in the 2024 election, they are misleading delegates with propaganda,” he stated.
Dr. Bawumia disclosed that some rival aspirants were exploiting longstanding ethnic tensions in the north to discredit his chances.
According to him, one candidate allegedly urged delegates not to support him because of his Mamprusi heritage, claiming it would hurt the party in Kusasi-dominated areas.
“This suggestion shows a complete lack of understanding of the political realities. To argue that I should be rejected simply because I am Mamprusi is both unfair and unfortunate,” he added.
His comments were a direct response to remarks made by Abetifi MP and fellow NPP flagbearer hopeful, Dr. Bryan Acheampong.
Addressing party members on Saturday, August 23, Dr. Acheampong linked the NPP’s 2024 electoral defeat to tribal factors, claiming Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy alienated sections of northern voters.
He argued that former presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo enjoyed wider northern support because they were viewed as neutral figures in the region’s ethnic politics.
Dr. Bawumia rejected this reasoning, stressing that such narratives distract from the party’s real challenges. He urged aspirants to embrace data-driven analysis of the 2024 defeat and work towards party unity rather than resorting to divisive rhetoric.
“Our focus should be on building unity and presenting a stronger front for the general election. Anything else risks weakening the party,” he cautioned.
The NPP is expected to elect its presidential candidate for the 2026 general elections in the coming months.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
