Former Member of Parliament for the Ayensuano, Ayeh-Paye Samuel has apologized to the Muslim community and the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia over some religious comment he allegedly made saying that it has been twisted.
He is accused of playing religious card in the campaign leading to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Internal Elections.
The former Member of Parliament, now the Eastern Regional Campaign Coordinator for Alan Kyerematen was alleged to have had a chat with a certain lady called Wendy Akuffo, whom he was seen convincing, not to think of voting for the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia just because he is a Muslim and does not belong to the majority religious group in the country.
In the chat he alleged that the Vice President will lose because the elections of 2024 will be based on religious grounds, especially because the New Patriotic Party had failed woefully to make Ghana’s economy better.
“We have already lost the battle of the economy. What we have left is a religious and tribal game, if you don’t have that to our favor then we are finished,” Ayeh-Paye told one delegate he was convincing to vote against Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Setting the records straight, the former MP in a statement explained that “I never said in any of my private conversations with her that we should not vote for Dr. Bawumia because he is a Muslim”.
According to him, “The conversation was only based on the assessment of the chances of a Muslim candidate against a Christian candidate”.
Below is the full statement:
My attention has been drawn to some reports trending on both traditional and social media that, I am preaching religious lines against the Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia regarding the upcoming internal elections of the ruling New Patriotic Party that he is a Muslim, and I have been calling some party members to votes against him.
To set the record straight, what happens was that, on Wednesday, 12th January 2023, I was having a private discussion with one lady called Wendy Akuffo, via WhatsApp.
In the discussion, I assessed to weigh a Muslim presidential candidate against an NDC Christian presidential candidate.
I also suggested to her that due to the higher Christian population in Ghana, NPP should present a Christian as a presidential candidate.
I stated that NPP has a better chance of winning the 2024 election should we present a Christian as our candidate.
I never said in any of my private conversations with her that we should not vote for Dr. Bawumia because he is a Muslim.
The conversation was only based on the assessment of the chances of a Muslim candidate against a Christian candidate.
This lady, who I suspect was on agenda to trap me, fetched the discussion twisted it, and write on her Facebook wall claiming, I said Dr. Bawumia is Muslim so Christians should not vote for him.
To be on the record, I have a lot of respect for Muslims and also respect Christians and Muslims co-existing in this country and I will not do any to endanger the relations between the two religious groups.
I will there want to take this opportunity to apologize to the entire Muslim community and all who have been hurt by this twisted story and also state clearly that I never said in any of the discussions that Dr. Bawumia is a Muslim and should not be voted for.
…Signed…
Hon Samuel Ayeh Paye
Former MP, Ayensuano
-BY Daniel Bampoe