Bryan Denies Blaming Bawumia

The campaign office of Dr. Bryan Acheampong, a presidential candidate hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has denied reports that he had blamed former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the Party’s defeat in the northern part of the country.

Bryan Acheampong insists his comments on “tribal dynamics” were taken out of context and deliberately twisted for mischief.

In an official statement released on Saturday, August 23, 2025, and signed by campaign spokesperson Pius Enam Hadzide, the team stressed that the viral social media videos, which appeared to show Dr. Bryan Acheampong making tribal remarks, were mischievously pieced together and venomously captioned.

According to the statement, Dr. Acheampong never blamed Dr. Bawumia for the conflict. Instead, his original comments pointed out that the former Vice President himself was a “victim of circumstances” in the north, and not someone who had created divisions.

“Our attention has been drawn to a video, mischievously pieced together and venomously captioned, making rounds on social media and its associated serial misrepresentation on social media.

Dr. Acheampong has not, at any point, blamed former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the Kusasi-Mamprusi conflict. His comments in the original video clearly stated that Dr. Bawumia was a “victim of circumstances”, not a cause of division. Dr. Acheampong continues to express deep respect for the former Vice President,” the statement highlighted.

However, this clarification came just a day after Dr. Bawumia himself had condemned what he called “tribal and religious propaganda” being used against him in the run-up to the NPP’s presidential primaries scheduled for 2026.

Speaking to party supporters on Sunday, August 24, 2025, Dr. Bawumia warned that such propaganda was both dangerous and short-sighted. He argued that the NPP’s heavy defeat in the 2024 general elections should have been a wake-up call to focus on real issues rather than division.

He revealed that some party delegates were allegedly told not to vote for him because he is Mamprusi, with claims that such a background would cost the party votes in Kusasi and other northern communities.

“An aspirant has said delegates should not vote for me because I am a Mamprusi man and that I will lose votes in the Kusasi and other areas. This is very unfortunate and demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the situation,” Dr. Bawumia said.

Even though Dr. Bawumia did not openly mention names, many political observers believe his comments were a subtle response to earlier remarks made by Dr. Acheampong.

But Dr. Acheampong’s team insisted that this point has been twisted. They maintain that his focus has always been about crafting a smart political strategy for the NPP’s future, not attacking Dr. Bawumia or using tribal divisions.

The campaign urged all party members, supporters, and delegates not to fall for half-baked social media stories. They encouraged everyone to listen to the full, unedited version of Dr. Acheampong’s remarks before drawing any conclusions.

Over the weekend, social media erupted with videos suggesting that Dr. Bryan Acheampong, the Abetifi MP and NPP presidential hopeful, had pointed fingers at former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia over the party’s defeat in the north.

Addressing party supporters on August 23, 2025, Dr. Acheampong argued that the NPP’s poor showing in the 2024 elections was largely due to what he called “tribal dynamics” tied to Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy. He explained that while former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo won overwhelming support in the north, Dr. Bawumia’s campaign was affected by the long-standing Mamprusi–Kusasi rivalry.

According to him, this division hurt the party’s chances across the northern belt, including Oti, Upper East, Upper West, and the Northern Region. His remarks, however, sparked strong reactions. Many Ghanaians criticized them as divisive and unnecessary, arguing that such statements risk deepening party cracks at a critical moment.

The video clips spread quickly online, with captions that fueled tribal debate. Within hours, NPP supporters were sharply divided, some defended Dr. Acheampong’s comments as honest political analysis, while others saw them as harmful and a distraction from the real issues.

For now, Dr. Acheampong’s camp is calling for calm and focus. They want the party to look beyond accusations and instead concentrate on finding a candidate and a plan that will restore the NPP’s chances in 2028.