Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has refuted claims that religion or ethnicity influenced the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) loss in the 2024 general elections.
Responding to suggestions that former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s religious background might have affected the party’s performance, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that evidence gathered after the elections indicates otherwise.
Speaking on Channel One TV, the former Suame MP revealed that internal assessments by the party found no basis for such assertions.
“The enquiry we did in the Ashanti region did not produce that; it is not one of the factors,” he explained. “In fact, those two questions, ethnicity and religion, were asked of the people everywhere in the Ashanti region, and the Oquaye committee also asked similar questions — the group of professors asked. The conclusions don’t support this at all. And yet, people are trying to inject that into that.”
He emphasized that while the NPP must carefully examine the reasons behind its defeat, attempts to link the loss to Dr. Bawumia’s faith or ethnicity were baseless and only served to divide the party.
On the matter of accountability, the former Majority Leader dismissed claims that Dr. Bawumia should be solely blamed for the NPP’s electoral setback.
He acknowledged that although the former Vice President was a significant member of the administration, ultimate executive power rested with the President.
“Even though the Vice President and the President don’t share responsibility, the presidency encapsulates the two, so you cannot extricate yourself, especially when you sit in cabinet meetings,” he said.
When asked whether Dr. Bawumia’s role as head of the Economic Management Team (EMT) made him primarily responsible for the economic difficulties that contributed to the defeat, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu clarified that the team’s mandate was mainly advisory.
“That is a reality,” he admitted. “But nobody should forget that executive authority is vested in one person. That is not to extricate Dr. Bawumia from every blame. The Economic Management Team he headed, their role was only advisory.”
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s remarks provide further perspective on the ongoing internal NPP debate over the factors behind the 2024 electoral loss, particularly the balance between internal party dynamics and broader economic challenges.
Source : Adomonline
ALSO READ:
