Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has called on former President John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Flagbearer, to steer his campaign clear of insults and verbal attacks as the 2024 elections approach.
Dr. Bawumia emphasized that resorting to personal attacks will not earn Mr. Mahama any electoral advantage, but rather exposes a lack of substantial ideas.
The Vice President expressed this view during his campaign tour in the Greater Accra Region, where he responded to recent comments by Mr. Mahama.
Mr. Mahama had earlier accused clergy, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations (CSOs) of not holding the NPP government accountable for what he termed poor governance.
Speaking at a campaign event in the Okaikwei North Constituency on Sunday, September 15, Mahama questioned the praise these groups have directed at the government, stating, “We must come together and tell the government that their time is up. They have underperformed. But you will find some chiefs, pastors, traditional leaders, and Muslim leaders congratulating them for a good job done, telling him (Bawumia) that he has done well. You want to win with this kind of bad governance?”
The former President also criticized what he called the hypocrisy of these groups, saying, “Hypocrisy is what is pulling this nation back. It doesn’t matter who is in office; we must be truthful at all times. These are the things that hinder our development.”
Responding to these remarks, Dr. Bawumia expressed disappointment, suggesting that Mr. Mahama’s comments were born out of frustration over the possibility of losing the upcoming elections.
“He’s realized he is about losing miserably, so everything gets him angry. I have heard him insulting the clergy, traditional leaders, Imams, and CSOs. He says they are hypocrites,” Bawumia said.
The Vice President urged for more respectful political discourse, adding, “We must have at least some standards of decency in the language we speak as politicians. The elections are not about insults, they are about ideas. It is when you have no ideas that you insult people. For us, we have bold solutions to problems.”
As the political atmosphere heats up ahead of the elections, both parties continue to trade barbs, but Dr. Bawumia’s appeal marks a call for civility in what is expected to be a fiercely contested race.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
Comments