Former New Patriotic Party Presidential hopeful Dr. Arthur Kennedy has said the vice presidential candidate of the party Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia must be condemned over his religious profiling of Ghana’s presidency.
According to him, even Bawumia’s father, who is belated, will be disappointed in him over the comment.
The former deputy governor of the Central Bank in a speech at a gathering at Sissala East in the Upper West region urged Muslims to vote for him and the NPP’s presidential candidate in order to ensure religious balance at the presidency.
“..Another major issue that I want to bring to the attention of the people is that; if we look at the flagstaff house today, it does not reflect the people of Ghana in terms of religion.
“In this country, we are living peacefully and nicely Muslims and Christians. So we believe in the NPP that Christians and Muslims should work together and that is why whenever we pick a president as a Christian, we pick a Muslim as a vice.
“And when we come and pick a Muslim as a president, we will pick a Christian as a vice. So if, Insha Allah, Nana Akufo-Addo becomes president, he will swear with the Bible and enter the Flagstaff House and I will swear with the Qur’an and enter the flagstaff House,” he said.
However, in a statement, Dr. Kennedy said Dr. Bawumia, by the remarks has joined the list of people dividing Ghanaians.
“Dr. Mamudu Bawumia has joined the ranks of those dividing us. Last week, the NPP Presidential running-mate claimed that “there are not enough Muslims at the Flagstaff House”. Ironically, he did not tell us whether there are enough of those who are neither Christians nor Muslims,” he stated.
He continued: “I do not need to be long-winded in this. I condemn Dr. Bawumia for the same reasons I condemned Madam Ativor. Dr. Bawumia ‘ s late father, who was respected as a consensus builder will turn in his grave today. Those who joined me in condemnation of Madam Ativor last week should be condemning Dr. Bawumia. Those who defended Madam Ativor should be defending Dr. Bawumia”.
