Ace Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has quizzed the comment made by the Assin Central Member of Parliament and the New Patriotic Party presidential hopeful, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong that a northerner should not be a President in Ghana.
He indicated that since Ghana’s independence in 1957, people of northern descent have only occupied the presidency for only six years.
According to Mr. Awuni, he does not understand the logic and justifications of those who share the views that northerners should not be President of Ghana.
“Ghana has been independent for 66 years. Leaders from the so-called North have been in charge of Ghana for 6 years (Dr. Hilla Limann did two years and President Mahama, 4). I fail to understand this obsession with northerners when it comes to national politics. Are northerners less human?”
Manasseh Azure Awuni
Manasseh Admonishes Politicians Against Tribalism
The Editor-in-Chief of the Fourth Estate also discounted claims that northerners can only occupy the position of Vice President in Ghana. He therefore cautioned politicians and their followers against comments that instigate tribalism and division.
“The other day, it was Osafo Maafo in a leaked tape when Mahama was president. Yesterday, it was from Alan’s camp, suggesting that northerners had always occupied running mate slots, a reason Dr Bawumia should not lead the NPP. And, today, this”.
Manasseh Azure Awuni
According to Mr Awuni, he does not understand why anyone would think Dr Bawumia should not lead the New Patriotic Party simply because he comes from the Northern part of the country.
He wondered whether when such people go to the hospital they object to medical care from the many health professionals who hailed from the Northern part of the country
“When such people go to Korle-Bu, do they object to medical care from the many experienced specialists from the North?”
Manasseh Azure Awuni
He argued that if there is nothing wrong with having, for instance, two Akans, the late former President John Evans Atta Mills and Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, and the late former President John Atta Mills and President Akufo-Addo leading the major political parties in Ghana, then why should there be anything wrong with two people from different regions and ethnic groups leading these parties just because they come from the northern part of the country.
Mr Awuni lamented that such an attempt to reduce politics to ethnic or tribal affiliations is worse than racism.
The flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party, Honorable Kennedy Ohene Agyapong during his tour in Europe questioned why Dr Mahamudu Bawumia should lead the New Patriotic Party simply because he is a northerner.
According to the vociferous politician, doing so will be inimical to the growth and development of the New Patriotic Party in the long term reiterating his wider call for fair treatment of all candidates in the upcoming flagbearship race in the party.
He further alleged that there are unacceptable instances where some northerners in the party have threatened that unless the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is elected the New Patriotic Party flagbearer, they won’t vote in the 2024 General Elections.
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