Former President of the Republic of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, has slammed rising religious and tribal bigotry within the New Patriotic Party, warning it threatens the party’s national image as preparations heat up for the 2028 flagbearer race.
Speaking at the launch of the party’s ideological wing, the Patriotic Institute in Accra Wednesday 25th of June, 2025, President Kufuor urged party members to reject what he described as dangerous and divisive rhetoric.
He noted that some NPP members have made tribal and ethnic remarks aimed at fellow party faithful, some of which he says lends credence to long-standing claims that the party promotes tribalism.
“We are democratic and we uphold common humanity,” he declared, drawing loud applause from attendees.
President Kufuor stressed that democracy thrives on equality, not tribe, religion, or gender.
“Democracy doesn’t go in for tribe, religion, and gender. It is the individual. One man, one vote,” he emphasized. “If we want power, we must present a candidate who appeals to the majority of voters—someone capable of solving problems for all.”
He urged party members to be honest with themselves and reflect deeply on the direction the NPP is heading.
President Kufuor warned that the bigotry, now creeping into party discourse, only reinforces negative labels from political opponents who have long branded the NPP as a tribal party.
“These days, we even include religion,” he said. “And when these things come from our own mouths, we only confirm the stereotypes. We are perpetuating it ourselves.”
He called for an immediate end to such divisive conduct and charged party members to unite around the true democratic values that form the NPP’s foundation.
“That is the only way,” he insisted, “we can get out of the rat hole.”
