The Eastern Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has sharply criticized comments made by Eastern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jeff Konadu Addo, accusing him of using religion to sway voters ahead of the December 7 elections.
During a campaign event on October 27, 2024, Jeff Konadu urged Muslims to unite behind Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, warning that failure to support his candidacy might deter future Christian backing for Muslim candidates.
“If you are a Muslim listening to me, you have a responsibility,” Konadu told NPP supporters at the campaign launch for the New Juaben South MP. “When you go to the polls and disappoint Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, you are disappointing your children because if any Muslim contests for president in the future, Christians may remember this and say, ‘When a Muslim was presented, you [Muslims] disappointed him.’ So nobody should bring a Muslim again,” he argued, calling Bawumia’s candidacy a historic opportunity for Ghana to elect its first Muslim president.
The remarks sparked immediate backlash from the NDC, with Eastern Regional Chairman Dr. Mark Oliver Kevor releasing a statement condemning what he described as “inciting and reckless” religious campaigning.
“The NDC unequivocally and unreservedly condemns this divisive and dangerous religious-based campaign being promoted by the NPP,” the statement read. “As a nation united in our diversities, campaigning based on religion is the last thing any politician should think of, given the threat it poses to our young democracy.”
The NDC urged political figures to steer clear of religious and tribal appeals, emphasizing the need for issue-focused debates that prioritize national unity and development. “While calling on all politicians to engage in issue-based campaigns ahead of the crucial 2024 elections, we urge voters to reject any politician who seeks support through divisive means, such as religion or ethnicity,” the statement added.
Mark Oliver Kevor’s statement also assured that former President John Dramani Mahama’s inclusive approach, noting his government’s initiatives that benefited Muslim communities, such as the Islamic Education Unit and direct pilgrimage flights from Tamale to Mecca. The statement pledged that a future Mahama-led government would introduce policies like the “Soyaya Fund” and additional public holidays for Muslim observances if elected.
The NDC’s statement warned that divisive tactics risk damaging Ghana’s unity. “Imagine if Christians decided to make this election an anti-Christian campaign. Ghana is our only nation, and we must therefore safeguard our democracy with all our might,” Kevor stated.
The NDC also appealed to civil society, religious leaders, traditional authorities, and well-meaning Ghanaians to condemn campaign strategies that could stoke religious tensions.
The statement concluded that the 2024 elections as an opportunity to choose between “a continuity of this corrupt administration and collapsed economy” or a new path under Mahama’s leadership, which it said would focus on economic recovery and job creation rather than religious identity.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
