Islamic think-tank supports Bawumia

The Islamic Centre for Virtue and Social Development (ICVISOD) has thrown its weight behind Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice Presidential candidate of New Patriotic Party (NPP), who called for a religious mix at the seat of government.

At a press conference held yesterday, the grouping said “we think this is rightly in keeping with the thrust of the 1992 fourth republican constitution of participatory democracy. The NPP has been consistent with its chosen policy of achieving greater participatory democracy by pluralism in governance from ex-President Kufour and now the duo of Nana Addo and Dr Bawumia ticket.”

In the atmosphere of political tension and frustration, it is very easy to turn the NPP’s pronouncement on this laudable policy into a huge deliberate jungle fire when none exists, the group stated.

The ICVISOD has in the past turned a blind eye on development that undermine this lofty choice of Christian/Muslim pluralistic collaboration to the fullest benefits of our dear nation, Ghana, it pointed out.

“But when it comes to NDC, they deliberately denied Muslims their due particularly Muslim running mate. Who said all Northerners are Muslims and all Southerners are Christians? Does that mean NDC could not find a Muslim Fanti? Where was General Joseph Smith, a charismatic Defense Minister then, and many others?”

Our sister neighbouring countries Sierra Leone and Nigeria, the group disclosed, have a deliberate system of a pragmatic combination of Christian Muslim leadership for their respective countries, it told the media.

The delight of the Muslim community to see Alhaji Huudu Yahaya in the race for national chairmanship of the NDC in their last delegates’ congress was stopped in very bizarre circumstances, Islamic think-tank, which has been in existence for the past decade, stated.

Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, Executive Director, who read the statement, noted, “In fact we wish to urge all political parties which have not as yet named their flagbearers and running mates to look to the example of the NPP in its enduring vision of productive and peaceful inter-faith cohabitation.