Northern Support for Bawumia Is Driven by Competence, Not Ethnicity – Nitiwul
Credit: Prince Adu-owusu
Former Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul says the growing support former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia enjoys among northerners in his bid to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is grounded in competence and electability, not ethnic loyalty.
He insisted that northerners have historically prioritised capability and the party’s chances of winning power over where a candidate comes from.
According to Mr Nitiwul, the former Vice President has earned the confidence of party faithful because of his track record in office and his appeal as a national candidate, describing him as “the most competent candidate” and “the best Vice President Ghana has produced.”
“Since the beginning of Ghana, northerners have never in their lives voted because the person comes from the north, never,” he said.
“Northerners, especially the UP and NPP, have never voted because the person is a northerner. We have never followed the person because he’s a northerner, never. Our elders, our grandfathers, never taught us that we should follow somebody because he’s a northerner.”
Similarly, he noted that although the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama served as Vice President, northerners later threw their support behind former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in successive elections, voting for him three times before he eventually won the presidency.
“We follow people because we believe they are the best for the party and for Ghana.”
He maintained that the same principle explains the current support for Dr Bawumia, whom he described as the NPP’s strongest bet to retain power in the 2028 general elections.
“We are rooting for him because he is the most competent person. He is the one who can give us power in 2028.”
Expressing confidence in Dr Bawumia’s leadership prospects, Mr Nitiwul said the former Vice President has already demonstrated his capabilities in office and would deliver even more if given the opportunity to serve as president.
“He will make the north proud, make Ghana proud, and make Africa proud. That is why we are following him.”
