Bole MP ‘fights’ Yendi MP over his statement on Sam George’s ‘Bawumia is religious prostitute’ brouhaha

Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole-Bamboi Constituency and Vice Chairman of the Muslim Caucus Of Ghana’s Parliament, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, has said that a press release purportedly issued by Farouk Aliu Mahama, the MP for Yendi and Chairman of the Muslim Association on behalf of the Caucus stating that Sam George’s religious bigotry comment against Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia is dishonourable and retrogressive is the personal and self-serving effusions of Farouk Aliu Mahama.

A statement from Alhaji Yusif Sulemana said; “I wish to categorically state that, Hon. Farouk is aware that the Muslim Caucus of Ghana’s Parliament, as an association is governed by rules and decisions, and their culminating press releases are taken at a general or emergency meetings”.

“As Vice Chair, I and the majority of other members are not aware or have not attended any meeting at which the decision was taken to issue the above statement. As someone that calls for equity on the basis of religious morality, it is dishonourable and immoral to use the name of a religious association like the Muslim Caucus, untruthfully, to pursue parochial political interests.”

“In any case, where was Farouk when H.E. Dr. Bawumia, in the presence of the National Chief Imam, mocked H.E. John Dramani Mahama for simply referring to a Sura in the Quran? Was that behaviour by Dr. Bawumia appalling, reprehensible, terrible, offensive, discriminatory, and unfair?”, he added.

Alhaji Yusif Sulemana further said hypocrisy and unprincipled stands must not be injected into the activities of the Muslim Caucus.

"As the Chair of the Caucus when the association tried to issue a statement to call for a ceasefire in the Gaza strip in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, didn’t Farouk refuse to unveil himself to support the statement? Was it because that statement will not yield any political benefits for Farouk and his paymasters?”; he asked.

“Who tells Farouk that standing for no religious principles is the same as religious tolerance? Again, who tells Farouk that a Christian has no right to comment on issues related to a Muslim? Farouk must advise his paymaster to focus on telling the Muslim Community what he has done for them since assuming the Vice Presidency about 7 years ago”, he said.

A statement from the MP for Yendi constituency and Chairman of the Muslim Caucus in Parliament Hon Farouk Aliu Mahama on November 9, 2023, condemned the religious bigotry statement made by Sam George against vice-president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Aliu Mahama said such remarks are not only offensive but also perpetuate stereotypes, discrimination, and unfair treatment based on an individual’s religious beliefs.

He further said: “The Muslim Caucus of Ghana’s Parliament has taken note of Sam George’s deplorable comments and find his characterization of the Vice President as a ‘religious prostitute’ appalling, reprehensible, and terrible”.