The Ashanti Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako ‘Chairman Wontumi’ says former NPP flagbearer hopeful Alan Kyerematen
“lied” about giving him massive political exposure to be a regional chairman.
“Alan lied about making me constituency chairman and regional chairman,” Wontumi said in a reply to Alan’s claims.
Alan Kyerematen has slammed Chairman Wontumi for ‘attacking’ him following his breakaway from the party.
Speaking in an interview on UTV, on Tuesday, September 27, 2023, a visibly angry Mr Kyerematen questioned the temerity of Wontumi to be making statements against him.
“Who brought Wontumi to the party? Today, Wontumi is going around making all kinds of noise. If he has someone to thank, it should be Alan Kyerematen. I’m the one who held his hands to the party. Who is Wontumi?
“There are some things we should not be saying but we have been quiet for too long. I brought Wontumi to the NPP and I brought him to the party for a good reason. He was a small-time businessman. Today, when we are talking about party issues, Wontumi is the one dictating,” he said
Adding that “I held his hand and made him a chairman… After he became chairman, he was always following me, he was more than a chief campaigner… I am saying this to praise because he was smart enough to see that Alan was the one who could guide him into politics.
“But he has to be careful with the things he has been doing for the sake of the future. If someone helps you become somebody don’t take the person for granted.”
But Wontumi in a statement to Alan’s claims explained what transpired between him and Alan.
Read the full statement below
Our attention has been drawn to some false claims by Mr Alan Kyerematen during a TV interview at United Television this morning, regarding the political progression of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly, known as Chairman Wontumi.
According to Mr. Kyerematen, he discovered and introduced Chairman Wontumi to the political limelight. Although Chairman Wontumi was once a staunch supporter of Mr Kyerematen, it is never true that he brought him (Chairman Wontumi) to mainstream politics or political limelight.
Chairman Wontumi became the NPP Constituency Chairman of Bosomtwe as a staunch loyalist of Nana Akufo Addo.
It was during his time as the Bosomtwe Constituency Chairman that he met Mr. Kyerematen.
It was the current District Chief Executive for Atwima Nwabiagya North, Hon. Rebecca Yeboah, popularly known as “Sister Bantama”, who was at the time a member of the NPP Volunteer Media Communication who took Chairman Wontumi to the residence of the then NPP Constituency Chairman for Asokwa, Mr. Robert Asare Bediako, where he met Mr. Kyerematen. During their meeting, someone recorded and leaked the engagement to the Opposition Leader, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.
Out of fury, some handlers of HE Nana Akufo Addo prevented Chairman Wontumi from seeing him when the latter visited to seek his blessings and support for his Regional Chairmanship ambition. But through the intervention of Hon Eugene Boakye Antwi, Chairman Wontumi got the chance to visit HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in London.
Except for the late Dr. Kwame Amoako Tuffour who stood solidly behind Chairman Wontumi, all the other Akufo Addo loyalists were against him. To state it categorically without mincing words, Chairman Wontumi went into the Regional Chairmanship Elections against Hon. Lawyer Osei Prempeh without the support of HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and Mr Alan Kyerematen. Indeed, 100% credit goes to the late Dr Amoako Tuffour so far as the successful regional chairmanship bid of Chairman Wontumi is concerned. Chairman Asare Bediako, Agya Sei and my good self, Andy Owusu who was the Campaign Manager at the time, also played various instrumental roles in the campaign.
I will conclude by stating that, Mr. Kyerematen’s claims of introducing Chairman Wontumi to the political limelight, and making him Constituency Chairman and subsequently, Ashanti Regional Chairman are palpable falsehoods and must be treated with the contempt they deserve.
signed:
Andy Owusu,
Special Assistant to Chairman Wontumi
