Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has rejected claims that religion or ethnicity contributed to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) loss in the 2024 elections.

Responding to suggestions that the religious background of former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia might have affected the party’s performance, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said post-election data points to a different conclusion.

“The enquiry we did in the Ashanti region did not produce that; it is not one of the factors,” he said.

Appearing on Channel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Monday, October 6, 2025, the former Suame MP disclosed that internal investigations conducted by the NPP found no evidence linking the party’s defeat to religious or ethnic factors.

“In fact, those two questions, ethnicity and religion, were asked of the people everywhere in the Ashanti region, and the Oquaye committee also asked similar questions, the group of professors asked. The conclusions don’t support this at all. And yet, people are trying to inject that into that.”

Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stressed that while the NPP must undertake a thorough introspection to understand the reasons behind its defeat, linking the outcome to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s faith or ethnic background was both unfounded and divisive.

On the matter of accountability, the former Majority Leader dismissed claims that Dr. Bawumia should bear sole responsibility for the party’s electoral loss.

He acknowledged that although the former Vice President, as a key member of the administration, could not be completely absolved, ultimate executive authority rested with the President.

“That is a reality...but nobody should forget that executive authority is vested in one person. That is not to extricate Dr. Bawumia from every blame. The Economic Management Team he headed, their role was only advisory.”