Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Vice President and 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called on party members to reject tribal politics and focus on healing and unity following the party’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
Speaking at the NPP’s 33rd Anniversary celebration in New York on Sunday, August 24, Dr. Bawumia described recent attempts to stir tribal sentiments as deeply damaging and a serious threat to the party’s cohesion and long-term survival.
He condemned efforts by some within the party to portray his ethnic background as a political liability, calling such narratives false, divisive, and dangerous.
“These views do not reflect the values of the NPP’s grassroots. Our party has always stood above tribal and religious prejudice and we will continue to do so,” he said.
“What we need now is unity. That is how we rebuild, and that is how we win again in 2028.”
Dr. Bawumia emphasized that the NPP’s founding principles are rooted in diversity and inclusion, referencing the party’s origins in the United Party (UP), which brought together a broad coalition of regional, religious, and ethnic groups including the Northern People’s Party, the Muslim Association Party, the Ga Shifimokpee, and the Anlo Youth Organisation.
“It is this unity in diversity that has been our greatest strength and foundation,” he said. “Now, more than ever, we must renew and strengthen those bonds.”
He also reminded the party that his identity had never been questioned when he was defending the NPP in court, campaigning across Ghana, or playing key roles in the 2016 and 2020 electoral victories.
“When I crisscrossed the country campaigning, no one saw me as just a northerner, a Mamprusi, or a Muslim. So why is that being raised now?” he asked.
Calling for maturity and collective focus, Dr. Bawumia urged party members to set aside resentment and recommit to a shared vision.
“This kind of propaganda risks branding the NPP as a tribal or sectional party, something we have never been and must never become. We are a party for all Ghanaians. We must not repeat the mistakes of 1979. If we come together and stay united, nothing can stop us in 2028,” he warned.
