Former Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has condemned the politicisation of the crisis in Bawku in the Upper East Region.
Speaking during the NPP’s national ‘Thank You Tour’ yesterday in the Western North Region, Dr. Bawumia said the conflict, which has escalated lately, has been used by some politicians to perpetuate their selfish interests at the expense of peace, describing the situation as “unfortunate.”
“The politicisation of the crisis in Bawku is very unfortunate because some people do that for their own parochial interests, not the peace and stability of the area,” Dr. Bawumia said.
He continued “They played politics with the situation and went round lying to the people that I was behind it. They said I was buying guns for Mamprusis to kill Kusasis. These were the lies they spread against me, and I was so sad when I heard it.”
The former vice president suggested that even some members of the NPP believed such propaganda and were spreading the same in the area.
With time, Dr. Bawumia noted that God has now exposed the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who he said championed the lies against him, saying “… the events in Bawku now have clearly demonstrated that the NDC lied to the people of Bawku for political advantage, and today, everyone has seen their lies.”
The former vice president added that “By the grace of God, many people have now seen their lies and the truth. Those who peddled these lies have now been exposed. This should be a lesson that nobody should play politics with the Bawku issue.”
Dr. Bawumia, while calling for all to join hands for a lasting peace in Bawku, also urged all politicians to stop using the Bawku crisis and other chieftaincy issues for political gains.
“As politicians, let us be careful in using chieftaincy issues to do politics. The NDC have done it and it is now hanging around their neck. I want peace in Bawku more than anybody, and I pray the mediation team being led by Otumfuo will be able to bring much-needed peace in Bawku,” he noted
