“Another major issue that I want to bring to the attention of the people is that; if we look at the flagstaff house today, it does not reflect the people of Ghana in terms of religion.“We are in this country living peacefully and nicely; Christians and Muslims. So we believe in the NPP that Christians and Muslims should work together and that is why whenever we pick a flagbearer as a Christian, we pick a Muslim as a vice.“And when we come and pick a Muslim as a flagbearer, we will pick a Christian as a vice. So if, Insha Allah, Nana Akufo-Addo becomes president, he will swear with the Bible and enter the Flagstaff and I will swear with the Quran and enter the flagstaff House,” he reportedly said.

Reacting to his comments on Kasapa FM’s Anopa Kasapa on Wednesday, Mr Asiedu Nketia expressed disappointment in the NPP for defending the ‘divisive’ comments.

According to him, Nana Akufo-Addo should publicly condemn the comments by his running mate to show that he is not in support of it. He mentioned that Nana Addo will “score political points” by doing that.

Many personalities have criticised Dr Bawumia for ‘whipping up religious sentiments’. Dr Ransford Gyampo, speaking to TV3 described it as needless.

“Bawumia is smarter than this; he’s known to pontificate on critical issues hinging on the economy. His competence, fortitude and resilient display during the election petition case at the Supreme Court, endeared him to a lot of well-meaning Ghanaians including myself. So going forward I think whipping up religious sentiments instead of pontificating on issues and presenting alternative solutions to problems confronting people should not be the way to go. Whipping up religious and ethnic sentiments by politicians is politically unwise and inconsequential. I condemn that. This shouldn’t have come from someone like Bawumia, I think he’s smarter than this,” he said.