PRESS STATEMENT
DESPERATE NDC HAVE LOST THE POLICY ARGUMENT – CAMPAIGNING ON TRIBAL LINE AND INSULTING BAWUMIA’S PERSON RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO HIS OVER 170 CLAIMS IS LIKE A DROWNING MAN CLUTCHING AT A STRAW
The Zongo Movement for Change (ZOMOC) has taken note of the tribal and bizarre campaign strategy of the National Democratic Congress to insult the personality of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in a desperate attempt to subdue his effective delivery of the New Patriotic Party’s campaign messages of hope to despondent Ghanaians.
Ever since Dr Bawumia delivered his comprehensive lecture, which exposed the incompetence and mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy by the President John Mahama-led government, the NDC has resorted to tribal and religious bigotry in a well-orchestrated campaign of insults and lies.
Recently, the General Secretary of the NDC Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia told a stupendous lie that the NDC sponsored Dr Bawumia's education; a claim Dr Bawumia himself described as false, presenting a timeline of his education, which exposed the NDC General Secretary as a blatant liar.
One would have thought that Mr Asiedu Nketia would have learnt from the ignominy of this false claim that the NDC sponsored Dr Bawumia’s education. Predictably however, Mr Nketia has been going round campaigning on tribal lines. His claim over the weekend that Northerners in NPP are viewed as 2nd class is most unfortunate, an insult to the intelligence of northerners and an embarrassment to his office.
But we are not surprised, because it is typical of the NDC to perpetuate disgusting tribal and religious politics in the zongos and the northern regions, in pursuit of their selfish interests.
Only last week, Eastern Regional Chairman of the NDC, Tawiah Boateng ludicrously claimed that Dr Bawumia’s presence at Hajj last year was the cause of the disaster which claimed several lives. And- over the weekend in Kumasi, Dr Bawumia became the focus of the NDC campaign, as they poured unprintable insults on his person in their politics of insult.
All these are coming in the wake of similar tribal sentiments by Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku as well as the Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah. Whiles Mr Opoku blasphemously claimed the Holy Quran had cursed the elephant so all Moslems in NPP were not true Moslems, the Chief of Staff asked the people of Wa to vote for President Mahama because he is one of them.
At a time the electorate are eagerly looking forward to issue-based campaign, it is sad the NDC’s campaign messages, especially to zongo communities and the people of the three northern regions are malicious lies and bizarre claims such as the one by the Eastern Region NDC Chairman.
We are wondering how any serious and well-meaning politician would campaign that Dr Bawumia and the NPP shouldn’t be voted for because he was the cause of the Hajj stampede. Who in their right sense would believe such a senseless claim that Dr Bawumia's presence in Hajj caused the disaster?
In perpetuating their hollow propaganda, the NDC should at least credit their audience with some level of intelligence to decipher between real issues and bigotry.
Dr Bawumia has been campaigning on issues affecting the good people of Ghana, particularly pointing out the incompetence of the Mahama government, mismanagement of the economy through excessive borrowing, overspending and corruption, as well as highlighting real problems facing Ghanaians today such as unemployment and high cost of living.
If the NDC is confused why Dr Bawumia's message is well received by Ghanaians, particularly in the zongos and the north, it is because he campaigns on issues, points out their incompetence with facts, and goes ahead to profess solutions by a government under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Thousands of despondent unemployed youth in the north and zongos easily identify their hard economic situations to the issues Dr Bawumia raises, not the tribal politics NDC plays.
Indeed the NDC is so deluded that it believes it can discredit Dr Bawumia through their hollow propaganda, especially within the zongo communities.
It has been more than one month since Dr Bawumia exposed the NDC's incompetent handling of the country with over 170 claims and the NDC has not been able to respond to these claims despite Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur promising to do so.
It is clear the NDC has lost the policy debate and are desperately resorting to insults. Their pathetic tribal politics is only a desperate attempt to salvage their sinking image. Like a drowning man, they are desperately catching any available straw.
The NDC have tried without success to destroy the person of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and now they are on Dr Bawumia. But who Allah has blessed, no one can destroy with vicious lies and propaganda.
Northerners and zongos are awake and we say no to malicious propaganda and tribal politics by the NDC.
God bless Ghana.
SIGNED:
Khalid Abdul-Qadir Mainasara (Secretary)
Mohammed Hashir-Issah (Director of Operations & Communications)
(0243169615)
