NPP does not vote on tribal lines, ignore the propaganda

Former Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has strongly rejected claims that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) selects its leaders based on tribal or regional biases.

He made this statement during a campaign stop in Lapaz, Accra, on October 3, ahead of the NPP’s presidential primaries.

Dr Bawumia labelled the idea of tribal politics “propaganda” and stated that tribalism “is not part of our tradition.”

“I want to make it clear that we, the NPP, we don’t vote on tribal lines. It is not part of our tradition,” he said.

He traced the party’s roots back to the formation of the United Party (UP) following the Avoidance of Discrimination Act, citing how multiple regional parties, including the Northern People’s Party (NPP), Ghana Congress Party, Anlo Youth Congress, Ga People, and the Muslim Association Party, united under the UP.

He noted that after the formation of the UP, the Northern People’s Party, led by S.D. Dombo had won the largest number of seats in Parliament with 13, while Dr. K.A. Busia’s Ghana Congress Party had only one seat.

However, Dr. Busia was made leader of the United Party, irrespective of his tribal background because of his competence.

“Normally, Dombo should have been the leader of the UP, but the Northern People’s Party agreed for Busia to lead because they saw him as the one who could help UP attain political power,” Dr. Bawumia explained.

Using this scenario, Dr Bawumia asserted that the NPP has always been about national character, inclusiveness, and merit, not tribal loyalties.

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