Bawumia Commands Northern Support on Strength of Competence Not Ethnicity– Nitiwul

The Member of Parliament for Bimbilla and former Minister for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, has dismissed suggestions that support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in Northern Ghana is driven by ethnic considerations, insisting that political backing in the region has historically been based on competence and performance.

Mr. Nitiwul made the remarks during Dr. Bawumia’s visit to Yendi ahead of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primary scheduled for January 31, 2026.

According to him, voting patterns in Northern Ghana demonstrate that electorates have never supported candidates solely on the basis of their regional or ethnic background.

“Since the beginning of Ghana, Northerners have never voted simply because a candidate comes from the north. Northerners, particularly within the UP tradition and the NPP, have never voted on ethnic grounds,” he stated.

To buttress his argument, Mr. Nitiwul cited historical examples, noting that the Northern People’s Party, despite holding a significant number of parliamentary seats, supported Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia of the Ghana Congress Party to lead the opposition in Parliament.

He further referenced the NPP’s political history, recalling that Northern members of the party supported John Agyekum Kufuor and later Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as presidential candidates and presidents, even when there were contenders from Northern Ghana.

“Today, we are not supporting Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia because he is a northerner. We are supporting him because he is the most competent candidate and the one who can lead the NPP to victory in 2028,” Mr. Nitiwul said.

Expressing confidence in Dr. Bawumia’s prospects, he added:
“He is going to win the elections, Insha Allah. By the grace of the Almighty, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will be the President of the Republic of Ghana in 2029.”

Mr. Nitiwul’s comments come amid ongoing internal discussions within the NPP regarding regional dynamics and delegate support, as flagbearer aspirants intensify their nationwide campaigns ahead of the party’s presidential primary.

Political analysts note that the contest is expected to be influenced largely by perceived competence, electability, and grassroots mobilisation rather than regional affiliations.

Bawumia Commands Northern Support on Strength of Competence Not Ethnicity

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