Bawumia Dismisses Religious, Tribal Factors in NPP’s 2024 Election Loss

New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has firmly rejected claims that religion or ethnicity influenced the party’s 2024 electoral defeat, presenting data-driven evidence to counter what he describes as baseless propaganda.

Speaking at a party gathering on April 23, 2025, the former Vice President revealed his analytical approach to testing the religious bias hypothesis: “In numerous constituencies nationwide, the NPP presidential ticket outperformed Christian parliamentary candidates. If voters were rejecting me as a Muslim, this wouldn’t be possible.”

Dr. Bawumia highlighted his victory in the party’s presidential primaries as preliminary evidence, noting: “Ten candidates contested – nine Christians and myself as the sole Muslim. Yet the party chose me.” He cited specific examples including Assin Central, where he polled stronger than Reverend Ntim Fordjour despite the MP’s vigorous campaign support.

Multiple independent surveys corroborate his position, showing religion and tribe played negligible roles in voting patterns. The 2024 election instead appears to have turned on broader governance and economic concerns, with voters evaluating candidates across demographic lines.

This analysis carries significant implications for Ghana’s political culture, suggesting maturation in electoral behavior. As Dr. Bawumia emphasized: “We must resist those peddling divisive narratives. Our strength lies in unity – we’re one nation working together for progress.”

The address comes as the NPP reflects on its electoral strategy ahead of future contests. By debunking identity politics claims with empirical evidence, Dr. Bawumia positions himself as a data-driven leader while reinforcing Ghana’s reputation for issue-based politics. Political observers note this approach could set new standards for post-election analysis in the country’s evolving democracy.