Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has condemned the growing trend of tribal and religious bigotry within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), warning that such divisive sentiments threaten the party’s national character and unity.
Speaking at the launch of the party’s ideological institute, Mr. Kufuor expressed concern that recent utterances by some members lend weight to longstanding accusations that the NPP is not inclusive or representative of all Ghanaians.
“We are democratic and we uphold common humanity,” he stated, emphasizing that the core values of the party transcend tribal or religious identities.
He underscored the need for the party to rally behind a candidate who can appeal to the broader Ghanaian electorate and provide real solutions to national challenges.
“Democracy is about individuals not tribes or religions,” Mr. Kufuor said. “If we want power, we must present a person who will be convincing to the generality of the electorate.”
The former President warned that the persistence of tribal and religious bigotry only reinforces negative stereotypes about the NPP and weakens its ability to attract broad-based support.
“We may see that the way we have been brushed by our opponents from way back ‘oh, you’re a tribal party.’ These days, we are even including religion,” he lamented.
Mr. Kufuor urged party faithful to reject bigotry and work together to uphold the party’s founding principles.
“We need to get out of the rat hole and focus on our core values,” he concluded.
