The campaign team of New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful Ken Ohene Agyapong has dismissed reports claiming the aspirant made tribal comments urging Akans to “reject minorities,” describing the allegation as a distortion of his remarks and an attempt to inflame ethnic tensions ahead of the party’s primaries.
In a statement signed by spokesperson Kwasi Kwarteng, Esq., the campaign labelled the reports “false, deceptive, and completely inconsistent with the facts,” insisting that Mr Agyapong did not make any comments promoting tribal voting.
Rather, the statement said, the aspirant was responding to what his team describes as “unprecedented levels of tribal intimidation” targeted at his supporters in parts of northern Ghana. According to the campaign, some chiefs and influential figures in those areas are allegedly coercing delegates to vote based on ethnic considerations.
It further accused certain Members of Parliament from the North of openly campaigning with tribal rhetoric, creating an environment the team believes threatens the fairness of the upcoming internal election.
The statement also alleged that individuals who spoke publicly about what they viewed as electoral injustices in previous primaries have recently faced threats of banishment and physical attacks. Others who have endorsed Mr Agyapong are said to have been declared unwelcome in their own communities.
“In such circumstances, Hon. Ken Agyapong has a responsibility to speak up,” the statement noted. “Highlighting tribal intimidation that affects him and his supporters must not be misconstrued as tribal politics.”
The campaign argued that some political actors “use tribal sentiments in the North but present themselves as victims in the South,” suggesting a double standard that must be confronted rather than ignored.
Reiterating Mr Agyapong’s long-standing support for communities nationwide, the team said his businesses employ Ghanaians “from every ethnic background,” underscoring his record as a unifying figure rather than a divisive one.
The statement urged media houses to avoid sensational angles that could “undermine unity and fairness,” stressing the need for accurate reporting as the party enters a competitive stage in its presidential primary.
