NDC communications team member Hamza Suhuyini has urged former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to demonstrate remorse and rebuild his credibility as he seeks to rebrand himself politically.
Suhuyini said Bawumia’s current approach to public commentary and the responses from his spokespersons were undermining his efforts to reshape his political image.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, he argued that the former vice president had enjoyed considerable freedom to express his views throughout Ghana’s Fourth Republic and should not suggest that the NDC government was attempting to silence him.
“Doc, don’t seek to create an impression as though the NDC is trying to prevent him from speaking. No, he has spoken more than any politician under the Fourth Republic, maybe with the exception of General Rawlings,” he said.
Suhuyini acknowledged that criticising Bawumia was personally difficult because of the respect he had for him as an older brother and a prominent figure from northern Ghana.
He, however, maintained that personal respect would not prevent him from questioning the former vice president’s political record and public statements.
“I still have enormous respect for his personality and for his achievements as a son of the northern part of our country and, most importantly, as a big brother from where I come from,” he said.
“It is with pain that I am being invited by his own commentary and the comments of his spokespersons when it comes to claims that are being made.”
Suhuyini said Bawumia’s biggest challenge in rebuilding his image was the need to address questions about his integrity and credibility.
“I can understand the desire of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to want to rebrand. But my advice to him as a big brother is that that rebranding must be built on reliable remorse. What is it? On remorse that we can make reference to and credibility,” he said.
“For now, his greatest undoing is the issue of integrity and credibility, and the path he is going will not help the rebranding efforts of his party.”
