Bawumia Instigated Tribal, Religious Politics First!

The campaign teams of Ken Agyapong and Byan Acheampong, have strongly criticized former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for crying foul, amidst recent alleged tribal utterances by Dr Acheampong, a fellow contender in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential race.

The two campaign teams insist, the former NPP flagbearer, is the chief instigator of tribal and religious politics, both during his campaign and after his election as the party’s presidential candidate.

Both Byan Acheampong and Kwasi Kwarteng, a spokesperson for the campaign, contends that, Dr Bawumia, cannot conveniently absolve himself of tribal bigotry, when not too long ago, he was neck deep in such a behavior.

Dr Bawumia, Mr Kwarteng recalled, in the run up to the last presidential primary in 2023, hinged his campaign on the fact that he was from the north and was one of their own and so should be voted for.

“Isn’t it interesting that the very camp which, only days ago, rallied Northern MPs to campaign across the northern constituencies, telling delegates to support their candidate just because he is “one of their own,” is now crying foul about tribal politics”, he said.

The former spokesperson for the Education Minister, in his critique of the ex-NPP flagbearer, also warned politicians and leaders, against exploiting situations for their own gain, only to later complain when the same tactics are used against them.

“In politics, you cannot eat your cake and have it. If you choose to play identity politics and reap its benefits, you cannot turn around and play the victim when others engage you by the very standards you set.

As a party and as a nation, we must be bold enough to confront the hard reality of the impact of religion, culture, and ethnicity on voter behavior in our electoral process.

Whether we believe it or not, these factors influence party alignments, public perceptions, and the overall electoral outcomes. And so this time, let no one blackmail you into silence. Let the data do the talking!”

Bryan Hits Back

The former Agric Minister, also in a latest rebuttal, noted that the statements he made were factual, saying, “facts are sacred, comments are free!”

Speaking at a meeting in a viral video sighted by The Archives, Dr Acheampong said, “We went into an election that I supported, the whole idea that if we bring Dr Bawumia, we will get the votes from the north, and if we bring Dr Bawumia, we will get the votes from the Zongos…he told me, I believed, he told the whole party, we believed him…in the general election, he told the whole country – except that they didn’t believe that”.

“And when we come back to the drawing table, we evaluate those statements, the promises. You promised us that you will bring us the zongos, they didn’t come, you promise us the north, it didn’t come. These are you own words! It was fine then…you can imagine if I was the candidate and I said anywhere that because I was the candidate, we will get the Akan votes and we will get the muslim votes, I would have been crucified! It was impossible for me to say that, but it was said then – but nobody accused him of being tribal”.

According to him, he was only sharing factual statements with party people and only those who wanted to do propaganda are out in town with it.

The admonishing, follows Dr Bawumia strongly criticizing the comments made by the former Agric Minister, who in his recent engagement with delegates, attributed the party’s 2024 electoral defeat to what he described as the tribal dynamics surrounding the candidature of Dr Bawumia.

The Abetifi constituency MP, told the delegates that the party lost the 2024 elections, because Dr Bawumia, being Mamprusi cost the NPP Kusasi votes due to the long-standing Mamprusi-Kusasi feud in Bawku in the Upper East Region, leading to the party scoring zero in dozens of polling station.

Speaking to party members on Saturday, August 23, the former Minister for Agriculture, said the party’s choice of flagbearer, disadvantaged the party within sections of the electorate in the north.

Dr Acheampong, argued that while former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Akufo-Addo, had strong backing across northern constituencies, the same cannot be said for the 2024 flagbearer,  indicating that what was recorded was a result of historical rivalries.

“President Kufuor won all NPP votes in Kusasi and President Akufo-Addo also did the same thing, but because the fight is between two tribes (Mamprusis and Kusasis) and we elected a flagbearer from one of them, we lost from Oti Region, Upper East, Upper West and the Northern Region,” he explained.

In the view of the ex-Minister, the defeat was not necessarily a reflection of Dr Bawumia’s competence or personal failings, but rather the timing and political circumstances which did not inure to his benefit.

“We lost all our seats because of the candidate we presented [Dr Mahamudu Bawumia], and he could be a victim of circumstance and not his fault, but the timing didn’t favour him,” he said.

The former flagbearer reacting to the alleged “unfortunate tribal and religious bigotry”, said it was unacceptable for such utterances to find their way into the NPP primary.

The former Vice President from 2017 to 2024, while refraining from mentioning names, said it was regrettable that elements in the party, are tracing his background and that of his wife Samira at this time.

Speaking at the 33rd Anniversary celebration of NPP USA in New York on Sunday, August 24, 2025, Dr Bawumia, expressed disappointment that some of his opponents were resorting to attacks on his ethnicity and faith, instead of engaging in issue-based politics.

Dr Bawumia, rejected the claim, describing it as tribal bigotry.

“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.

The former Vice President, also cited other instances where his opponents, allegedly used religion and ethnicity against him.

He referenced former minister and Kennedy Agyapong campaign coordinator, Asomah-Cheremeh, who argued that NPP delegates, should not support him, because his wife, Samira, was “not a true Ghanaian.”

“Really? So how can we campaign to minorities in a general election? Just unbelievable,” Dr Bawumia remarked.

He further questioned why these attacks were coming up only now, disregarding the roles he and his wife played in ensuring the party won the 2016 general election.

“When I was defending the party in the Supreme Court in 2013, they did not say I was a Mamprusi, a northerner, or a Muslim… When Samira was campaigning the length and breadth of Ghana, they did not say she was not a true Ghanaian. So, what has changed? Why now?” he asked.

Despite the criticisms, Dr Bawumia, stressed that such sentiments did not reflect the true values of the NPP.

“The NPP has always been a broad-based party that welcomes diversitywhether you are Fante, Ashanti, Ewe, Ga, Kusasi, Mamprusi, Christian, Muslim or traditionalist. These divisive views represent only a few bigots, not the rank and file of our party,” he told supporters.

He urged members of the party to reject tribal and religious sentiments, insisting that “the NPP will always triumph over bigotry.”