The campaign office of Dr. Bryan Acheampong, New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful, has strongly denied allegations that he blamed fellow flagbearer hopeful and former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the longstanding Mamprusi-Kusasi conflict in the north.
In a statement sighted by Citi News on Sunday, August 24, the campaign described circulating social media videos as “mischievously pieced together and venomously captioned,” asserting that Dr. Acheampong’s comments were taken out of context to falsely suggest tribal animus.
“Dr. Acheampong has not, at any point, blamed former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the Kusasi-Mamprusi conflict,” the statement read. “His comments in the original video clearly stated that Dr. Bawumia was a victim of circumstances, not a cause of division.”
The statement emphasised that Dr. Acheampong continues to hold deep respect for the former Vice President, and that his remarks were intended to highlight broader political strategies that have impacted the NPP’s performance in key constituencies.
“This is a matter of record and should remain a strategic concern for the party moving forward,” it added.
This clarification comes a day after Dr. Bawumia publicly condemned what he described as “tribal and religious propaganda” being used against him in the lead-up to the party’s 2026 presidential primaries.
Speaking to party supporters on August 24, Dr. Bawumia warned that such rhetoric was not only divisive but dangerously short-sighted, especially in light of the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general elections. He cited instances where party delegates were allegedly urged to vote against him due to his Mamprusi background, arguing that such tactics ignored the real reasons for the party’s electoral losses.
“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,” Bawumia said.
While Dr. Bawumia did not directly name Dr. Acheampong in his remarks, observers have linked the criticism to recent comments made by the Abetifi MP, who had previously noted that past NPP presidential candidates, such as John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had avoided alienating factions in the North due to their perceived ethnic neutrality.
In response, the Acheampong campaign reiterated its candidate’s commitment to party unity, transparency, and strategic leadership.
“Dr. Acheampong’s message is clear: the NPP must unite around a winning strategy and candidate,” the statement said. “His vision is to position the NPP for decisive victory in 2028 and to govern with the strength and clarity needed to resolve the deep-rooted issues holding communities and the nation back.”
The campaign urged all party members and delegates to listen to the full, unedited version of Dr. Acheampong’s remarks and draw their own conclusions, rather than relying on “serial misrepresentations.”
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