Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is not just any Muslim but a “brilliant” running mate and partner in the 2016 presidential race, flag bearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo has praised.

In an interaction with Muslim clerics at the Alesuna Mosque at Nima in the Ayawaso East Constituency of the Greater Accra Region, Nana Akufo-Addo said his choice of Dr Bawumia as his vice-presidential nominee defeats the “propaganda” waged against him as somebody who dislikes Muslims.

“They will say Akufo-Addo hates Muslims, does not like people resident in Zongo communities so as to put fear in you. There is not an iota of truth in any of this. Of all the presidential candidates contesting this year’s elections, I’m the only one who has selected a Muslim to be my running mate.

“With Christianity and Islam being the two dominant religions in Ghana, unity amongst these two religions will help spur on the country’s development. The Muslim I chose is not just a Muslim, but a very brilliant Muslim, who can help develop the nation with his in-depth knowledge,” he added.

According to him, were he anti-Muslim, as his political rivals have tried to portray him, the government of President John Kufuor, in which he served as Attorney General, would have instituted measures and policies against Muslims between 2001 and 2009, but nothing of that nature occurred.

“During President Kufuor’s eight years in office, nothing of this sort ever happened. For a time, I was Attorney General and nothing like that happened. Why would such a thing then happen when I become President?”

He urged the Muslim Clerics, together with the youth of Nima, to ignore such baseless propaganda, and rather demand from the various political parties and their candidates their respective policies and programmes for Zongo communities.