John Mahama's 'tribal' comments are reckless- Abu Jinapor

An aide to the Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Abu Jinapor, has described comments attributed to President John Mahama as reckless and irresponsible. The president is alleged to have made some tribal comments during a recent campaign in the northern part of Ghana.

"I don’t find this statement responsible. I find it reckless and dangerous to the unity and future of this country," Abu Jinapor said on Accra based Citi Fm.


President Mahama, in an address to the chiefs and people of Zualerigu in the Upper East Region said “our brother Aliu Mahama was Vice President for 8 years. I was Vice President for 3 and half years. For almost 12 years, we have tasted Vice Presidency. It’s no longer exciting. It’s no longer what we want.”


He said if the NPP wants votes from the northern part of the country, then they should put up Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia as their flagbearer to face-off with him.


Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has in response insisted that President Mahama was not preaching tribalism when he made the statements.

Spokesperson for the President, John Jinapor, said though the NPP and some civil society groups have their opinion on the subject, the President's comments should not be taken out of context.


“He is certainly not playing tribal politics. President Mahama has a track record and we all know him. He was responding to a particular issue and threw a challenge at the NPP,” he said.


Mr. Jinapor further opined, “the NPP went about on a malicious and wicked campaign propaganda by calling on Northerners to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo because he had chosen a northerner as a vice presidential candidate”.


“President Mahama only said that was not how to do politics. If you want to really demonstrate that then give him the number one slot. I think that is not reckless,” he added.