NPP’s Tradition Not Built on Tribal Lines – Bawumia

New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has rejected claims that the party selects its leaders based on tribal or regional considerations, insisting that such propaganda has no basis in the party’s tradition.

Speaking at Lapaz in Accra on Thursday, October 3, as part of his campaign tour of the Greater Accra Region ahead of the January 31 presidential primaries, Dr. Bawumia stressed that the NPP has always upheld merit and party unity over ethnicity.

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

Dr. Bawumia highlighted the historical roots of the party, tracing back to 1957 when the Avoidance of Discrimination Act under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah led to the formation of the United Party (UP), which brought together various regional political parties.

He pointed out that although the Northern People’s Party, led by S.D. Dombo, had the largest representation in Parliament with 13 seats compared to Dr. K.A. Busia’s Ghana Congress Party with just one seat, Busia was chosen as leader of the UP.

“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.

The Vice President, who is seeking to lead the NPP into the 2026 general elections, urged party members and the public to reject tribal propaganda and focus on policies, unity, and development.