The Islamic Centre for Virtue and Social Development (ICVISOD); a Moslem civil society organization has commended the 2016 Vice Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia for being proactive in raising the issue of Christian and Moslem cohesion ahead of the 2016 parliamentary and presidential elections in the country.
According to the group, Dr. Bawumia did no wrong by stating what has gotten the two religious bodies to cohabit over the years since the advent of multi-party democracy.
The group said countries like Sierra Leone and Nigeria have deliberate policies and systems of pragmatic combination of Christians –Muslims leadership to foster cohesion among the two religious bodies in governance.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra; Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong, Executive Director of ICVSOD said the NPP for that matter its flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo must be commended for being proactive in choosing a Moslem as his running mate for the 2016 elections.
He said the group chose to lend its supportto the alleged stocking of religious sentiments statement by Dr. Bawumia because of the already tense political atmosphere which all well-meaning organizations are seeking to mitigate ahead of the elections.
According to him, Dr Bawumia during the tour up north was only stating his party’s position on the pluralistic collaboration that has existed between Moslems and Christians over the years.
‘We think this is right in keeping with the trust of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution of participatory democracy’ he said He explained that the NPP, in the view of the organization has been consistent with its policy of achieving greater participatory democracy, pluralist governance from the days of the ex-President John Agyekum Kufour-late Aliu Mahama led regime and now Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo– Dr. Bawumia ticket.
He noted the organization has in the past turned a blind eye on the developments that undermine the lofty choice of a Christian –Moslem collaboration to the benefit of the nation.
He added that the political tension that existed between the two main political parties it easy to say that the NPP’s initiative on a Christian –Moslem candidature policy is laudable.
‘As a Moslem organization, we think that it was a delight of the Moslem community to see practicing Moslems vying for top most positions in the both the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the main opposition NPP.
We wish urge all political parties which have not yet named their flag bearers and running mates to look onto the example of the NPP and its enduring vision of productive and inter-faith cohabitation in the world of politics.
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