A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, Ishaq Ibrahim, has alleged that Malik Basintale deliberately spread falsehoods during the NPP’s tenure to discourage Muslims from associating with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Speaking in an interview he claimed that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of youth employment, Mr. Basintale circulated claims that Dr. Bawumia, a practicing Muslim, consumed pork, an act widely considered forbidden in Islam.

“Malik Basintale, he was noted for giving out clear-cut lies about our then flagbearer, who is a renowned Muslim, eating pork, where everybody knows it was a lie.

“Because his whole belief, I mean his whole motive was to discourage the Muslim community from associating with him, and we all know eating pork is haram in Islam and every serious Muslim should not eat pork,” he said during an interview on GHOne TV.

He further contended that repeated claims of this nature risked damaging Dr. Bawumia’s reputation among sections of the Muslim community.

Mr. Ibrahim emphasized the need for tolerance in political discourse, arguing that the NPP demonstrated restraint during its time in government despite what he described as persistent misinformation from opponents.

Mr. Ibrahim added that the NPP has a constitutional duty to hold the government accountable, particularly on issues of democratic governance and free speech.

“We, the NPP, as the main opposition, have a constitutional responsibility to hold them accountable for democratic values, and among them is free speech,” he stated.