Bawumia's call for Muslim representation at the flagstaff House is right

We were in the Sissala East constituency when Dr. Bawumia came there in the evenings of Friday, the 28th of April, 2016 to attend the funeral of the wife of the late Alhaji Imoro Egala. Before going to the funeral in Pieng on Saturday, Dr. Bawumia met NPP faithfuls and spoke broadly to them. He spoke about the legendary incompetence of president Mahama and the corruption of the NDC government. He also spoke about how the northern regions have been left underdeveloped by the NDC government. He also spoke about how we must respect all religions and see ourselves as Ghanaians, first and foremost. He then called for a balanced representation at the flagstaff house with regards the two main dominant religions in Ghana, Islam and Christianity.

Some people have therefore chosen to use this as an opportunity to attack and lambast Dr. Bawumia claiming he is attempting to create religious tension in the country. Others also tried to use it to compare it to the ethnocentric, tribalistic and condemnable comments of Madam Dzifa Attivor. Others further used it in their expertised propaganda fashion to forcefully create a false statement for the National Peace Council. All these attempts truly speaking are very flawed.

It is essential to note that Dr. Bawumia never asked the people of Sissala East constituency and for that matter Muslims in Ghana to vote for the NPP because he, Dr. Bawumia, is a Muslim. Dr. Bawumia simply called for Muslim representation at the seat of governance. Interestingly, his reason was not attributed to the population of the Muslims in Ghana but rather to seek the blessings and favour of God. This according to him can contribute to easing the unnecessary untold hardships the good people of Ghana are facing under this corrupt and clueless President Mahama led NDC government. After all, didn't the wife of Pastor Duncan Williams tell us that it's the prayers of her husband on the 'dead' cedi that made it to resurrect? Didn't the people of Ghana become alarmed just because of a 'prophesy' by TB Joshua that Ghana is going to be attacked? What then is wrong if Dr. Bawumia asked for the blessings of God on the nation through balanced representation at the Flagstaff house?

It's quite hypocritical for the NDC to criticise Dr. Bawumia on his statement. The NDC have pushed Muslims in Ghana especially those in the NPP too far and as such it's good Dr. Bawumia reacts this way to put the Muslims in a better perspective. In 2007, in the heat of the NPP primaries, Honourable Fiifi Kweetey said that a Muslim cannot be president in Ghana. This was said when his opinion was sought on the chances of the late Vice president, Alhaji Aliu Mahama. The NDC never saw anything wrong and never condemned Fiifi Kweetey for this damaging comment against the Muslims in Ghana. In fact, they rather rewarded him various ministerial positions since they took over the government in 2009.

Recently, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister was also in the news for claiming that Muslims in the NPP are not true Muslims. These Muslims obviously included Dr. Bawumia and his family. This is the worse crime in Islam because a Muslim cannot easily call another Muslim a disbeliever, how then a non-Muslim calling a Muslim such? The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister has not only attacked Dr. Bawumia and the NPP but he has also changed the meanings of Quranic verses and insulted the intelligence of Muslim scholars. What has the NDC done about it? What has the National Peace Council done about it? What has the Muslims in the NDC especially the Zongo for Mahama and other pro-NDC Muslim groups done about this reckless statement? They were all mute!!!

The NDC have claimed for long that it's the best political party for Muslims and as such I think the NDC must be the first political party to congratulate and thank Dr. Bawumia for making this statement. They should admit that they have ignored the Muslims and their interest for long even though the Muslims have been a strong voting block for them. They should think of changing their system of rejecting Muslims for the running mate position since 1992 and think of adopting a more inclusive policy.

I shall, In sha Allah, be back...

Fuseini Abdul-Fatawu