Politics of Monday, 17 July 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

If it's all about northerners, why did you not support John Mahama? - Kwesi Pratt questions Bawumia

Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper

The Managing Editor of Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has raised concerns over the alleged ethnic sentiments exhibited by Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a hopeful flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), during his campaign.

Speaking on the matter on Good Morning Ghana, Kwesi Pratt Jnr expressed his reservations about the apparent contradiction in Dr Bawumia's stance.

"I have also heard him passionately appealing to regional or ethnic sentiments, and I said, where are we going?" Pratt questioned.

"This man (Bawumia) who was effectively involved in a campaign to deny a northerner the opportunity of staying as president is now advocating for northerners to have the opportunity to become presidents. If it's all about northerners, why did you support former President John Mahama?"

Kwesi Pratt's comments bring to light the contradiction between Bawumia's current rhetoric and his involvement in the past campaign against former President John Dramani Mahama, who also hailed from the Northern region.

The Insight Newspaper's Managing Editor questions why Bawumia supported a campaign against a fellow northerner if he now champions the cause of promoting northerners for the presidency.

Highlighting the inconsistency, Pratt continued, "John Mahama did not come from the Eastern Region or the Western Region; he also came from the North, and yet Dr Bawumia vigorously campaigned against him. So, that claim about putting a northerner there, where does it come from?"

The Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; the former Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen; the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong; and seven other candidates have been cleared by the Vetting Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to contest the NPP flagbearership race.

The clearance gives the green light for the 10 candidates to begin preparing for the Super Delegates Congress of the NPP, where the number will be struck down to only 5 candidates.

It is this final 5 candidates-list that will be presented to delegates to vote on for a presidential candidate towards the 2024 general elections.

YNA/OGB