Never campaign on opponent’s gender, ethnicity – NPP campaign team cautions Communicators
The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 2020 campaign team has cautioned its communicators to stay away from attacking political opponents in their campaigns.
It comes after some party members criticized former John Dramani Mahama over his selection of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as his running mate for the 2020 polls.
In a statement signed by the NPP’s Deputy Campaign Manager, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the party reminded communicators to refrain from making references to their opponents’ gender, ethnicity or religion while campaigning.
“The President of the Republic of Ghana and presidential candidate of the NPP and the 2020 campaign team, wish to remind its faithfuls that the party’s philosophy of positive engagement still holds valid.
“We, therefore, urge all who speak for or purport to speak for the party to refrain from attacking political opponents. We specifically ask that no reference should ever be made to opponents’ ethnicity, religion or gender.”
“We shall campaign on our record and win. Indeed, there is enough to speak about with regard to our record. We cannot beat our opponents in the politics of calumny. Let us therefore refrain,” the statement concluded.
Other party bigwigs, including the Minister of Communication, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, urged the opponents of the NDC to focus on the NDC running mate’s track record and not insults because of her gender.
“We should take her on for her record in public life and resist the temptation of calling her names and hurling invectives at her just because she is a woman,” the post read.
The Ablekuma West MP predicted that Prof Opoku-Agyemang would have a tough time convincing women to support her bid because she was among persons who signed the ‘Montie Three’ petition.
Nonstarter