Former Vice President and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate for the 2024 general election, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has issued a strong warning to members of the party to reject the growing trend of injecting ethnic and tribalism into the party’s internal politics.
He made the call ahead of the NPP’s presidential primary, which is scheduled to take place on January 31, 2026.
The elected flagbearer will lead the party in its battle to recapture power in the 2028 general election.
Addressing the NPP Constituency Chairmen Caucus Conference in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, on Saturday, June 21, 2025, Dr. Bawumia described recent attempts to exploit religious and ethnic sentiments for political gain as “very dangerous” and a direct threat to the cohesion and long-term strength of the party.
“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,” the former NPP presidential candidate told the party executives, who received his message of unity with thunderous applause.
Dr. Bawumia’s comment was in reaction to the introduction of religious and tribal campaigns against him by some of the party’s flagbearer hopefuls and their officials.
Recently, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, who is campaigning to be elected the party’s 2028 flagbearer, told a group of party members that he should be elected flagbearer because the NPP lost the 2024 election due to the refusal of Christians to vote for Dr Bawumia, who is a Muslim.
Again, just a few days ago, a lead campaigner for Kennedy Agyapong, Dr. Steven Amoah, who is also an NPP Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, said Christians in Ghana are not ready to vote for a Muslim leader.
All these are seen as a religious campaign targeted at Dr. Bawumia.
Speaking to the Constituency Chairmen and to party members, Dr. Bawumia reminded them of what the NPP stands for 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,e 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.
Religious campaigners
On claims by the ‘religious campaigners’ that the NPP lost because Christians refused to vote for its flagbearer, Dr. Bawumia described the claim as baseless, stressing that it has no place in the findings of the Mike Oquaye Committee, which investigated reasons why the NPP lost the 2024 election.
“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 told the NPP constituency chairmen that he would not have contested again to be the NPP’s flagbearer if religion were indeed the reason why he lost.
“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.
Setting the tone for primaries
The former Vice President’s intervention is seen as an attempt to set a unifying tone for the party’s primary season, which is expected to be fiercely contested.
According to NPP insiders, Dr Bawumia’s focus on inclusiveness and evidence-based politics could resonate with a base increasingly wary of internal divisions.
Even though the former Vice President did not mention any rival by name, the subtext of his remarks left no doubt that he viewed the deployment of identity politics as both morally bankrupt and strategically unwise.
As the NPP charts its path towards 2028, Dr. Bawumia has consistently branded himself, and agreeably so, as a candidate guided by unity, discipline, and national interest.
“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 has consistently reiterated.
By Kyei Boateng
