The Communication Directorate of the Wontumi Campaign Team has strongly defended Ashanti Regional New Patriotic Party Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, following comments allegedly made by presidential staffer Rosemond Obeng regarding his eligibility for political leadership.
In a three-page statement, the campaign team described remarks attributed to Madam Obeng as “reckless,” “politically immature,” and historically uninformed after she reportedly suggested that “no serious political party would allow someone with active court cases to contest for chairmanship.”
The statement, issued by the Communication Directorate of the Wontumi Campaign, argued that history is filled with examples of influential political leaders who faced imprisonment, prosecution, or political persecution before eventually attaining leadership positions.
The campaign cited Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, noting that he was imprisoned during the Positive Action campaign in 1950 before leading the Convention People’s Party to electoral victory in 1951.
The statement also referenced former Ghanaian leader Jerry John Rawlings, who was arrested and court-martialed in 1979 before later becoming Head of State and constitutional President.
In defending Chairman Wontumi, the campaign further pointed to the legal challenges faced by current Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, who was acquitted in the ambulance procurement case in 2024, as well as political scrutiny faced by National Democratic Congress General Secretary Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey.
International examples were also cited, including former South African President Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison before becoming president in 1994, and former United States President Donald Trump, who remained politically active despite facing multiple criminal indictments.
The statement additionally drew on biblical references, including Joseph and King David, to argue that adversity and persecution often precede leadership.
According to the Communication Directorate, Chairman Wontumi’s legal challenges “do not disqualify him from leadership” but instead reflect “the intensity of political resistance against influential and fearless political actors in Ghana’s democratic space.”
The campaign team maintained that Chairman Wontumi remains committed to reorganizing and strengthening the New Patriotic Party ahead of the 2028 general elections and supporting Mahamudu Bawumia to become President of Ghana.
The statement concluded by criticizing Madam Obeng’s remarks as lacking “deep historical, political and intellectual examination,” insisting that political history ultimately honours those who endure hardship and remain resilient.
