“Logically weak and deceptive”: Ken Agyapong’s spokesperson slams Bawumia over religion comment

The Campaign Spokesperson for Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, Kwasi Kwarteng, has taken a swipe at former Vice President and 2024 New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2024 presidential flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent remarks dismissing religion as a factor in the 2024 elections, describing the argument as “logically weak, overly simplistic, deceptive, and utterly untenable.”

In a statement, Mr. Kwarteng criticized Dr. Bawumia’s claim that he outperformed 236 Christian NPP parliamentary candidates, insisting that the comparison was flawed.

According to him, Dr. Bawumia’s true competitor was former President John Mahama, a Christian presidential candidate, not his party’s parliamentary candidates.

“The proper and proportional measure is presidential versus presidential, not presidential versus parliamentary. Juxtaposing himself against his own party’s Christian PCs is misleading, as it confuses two distinct contests, one national and one local,” Kwarteng stated.

He further argued that presidential and parliamentary elections operate on entirely different dynamics, noting that while constituency-level issues shape parliamentary outcomes, presidential contests hinge on broader national sentiments.

“Indeed, the fact that 345,465 voters supported our PCs yet rejected Dr. Bawumia at the presidential level proves this point,” he added.

Kwarteng further added that Dr. Bawumia’s attempt to frame his performance as proof that religion was irrelevant amounts to a rhetorical maneuver rather than an honest analysis of the data, stressing that if religion were truly inconsequential, the natural comparison would have been with John Mahama, not his own parliamentary candidates.

“Finally, the very fact that DMB chose to measure himself against Christian PCs within his own party suggests more of a rhetorical maneuver than an empirical and honest analysis of the data. And I dare say that if religion were inconsequential, the natural comparison would have been to his direct rival, JM, and not his own PCs, who in the end outperformed him by a margin of 345,465 votes.”

Find the statement below…

1. Dr. Bawumia’s attempt to dismiss religion as a factor in the 2024 elections by claiming he “outperformed 236 Christian NPP parliamentary candidates” is logically weak, overly simplistic, deceptive, and utterly untenable.

2. First, the basis of the comparison itself is false & faulty. DMB’s true competitor was John Mahama, a Christian presidential candidate. Therefore, the proper and proportional measure is presidential versus presidential, not presidential versus parliamentary. Juxtaposing himself against his own party’s Christian PCs is misleading, as it confuses two distinct contests: one national and one local, each shaped by entirely different dynamics.

3. Moreover, presidential and Parliamentary elections are fundamentally different. Presidential contests are shaped by national narratives and broad perceptions of leadership, while parliamentary elections depend on constituency-level factors. Indeed, the fact that 345,465 voters supported our PCs yet rejected Dr. Bawumia at the Presidential level proves this point. Hence collapsing these categories only reduces a complex electoral process into one simplistic conclusion only serves to distort the reality of voter behavior.

4. The data referenced itself does not support his argument. Out of 236 NPP Christian PCs and 215 NDC Christian PCs; at least 91% of the parliamentary contests were Christian versus Christian. In such a scenario, religion is effectively neutralized as a deciding factor, leaving the candidates’ popularity, incumbency, and party strength as the real variables/determinants. To suggest that outperforming some Christian PCs proves religion was irrelevant ignores both context & electoral logic.

5. Finally, the very fact that DMB chose to measure himself against Christian PCs within his own party suggests more of a rhetorical maneuver than an empirical and honest analysis of the data. And I dare say that if religion were inconsequential, the natural comparison would have been to his direct rival, JM, and not his own PCs, who in the end outperformed him by a margin of 345,465 votes.

Kwasi Kwarteng, Esq.
Law Lecturer/Campaign Spokesperson to Hon. Ken Agyapong

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