The Regional Chairmanship contest between Chairman Wontumi, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah and Asare Bediako seems to be a rivalry contest between the camp of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Alan Kyerematen in the Ashanti Region.
The camp of Alan Kyerematen is rooting for Odeneho Kwaku Appiah and Asare Bediako. This is large because the main favourite of Alan’s camp, Mr. Owusu Aduomi, the former Member of Parliament for Ejisu Constituency and former Deputy Minister of Transport has lost his popularity in the Ashanti Region after he failed to defend President Akufo-Addo during a recent radio programme. This caused people to question his loyalty and integrity to the Party.
The only person who seems not to enjoy support from any camp so far is Bernard Antwi Boasiako(also known as Chairman Wontumi) even though Chairman Wontumi on several occasions has fully endorsed Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as NPP Flagbearer for 2024.
In fact, from our research, since January 2021, Chairman Wontumi has been using his Radio Stations to champion the agenda of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia which has largely angered the supporters of Alan Kyerematen and other Flagbearer hopefuls, especially in the Ashanti Region, and these supporters whom some are delegates have vowed heaven and earth to dethrone Chairman Wontumi because Wontumi as the Ashanti Regional Chairman would definitely undermines the Flagbearership interest of Alan Kyerematen who is a leading competitor to Dr. Bawumia.
For a neutral media platform, we are not supporting any of the contestants. As a matter of fact, we don’t care who win or loses the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairmanship contest.
Per our investigation, the NDC is keenly interested in the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairmanship contest, and in fact, some NDC Gurus are secretly sponsoring Mr. Odeneho Kwaku Appiah and Mr. Asare Bediako to unseat Chairman Wontumi so that they can silence and politically embarrassed Chairman Wontumi.
Several meetings have been held between these NDC gurus and the camp of Asare Bediako and Odeneho Kwaku Appiah. At the last minute it is very likely that Asare Bediako and all the other Regional Chairmanship Aspirants may throw their weight behind Odeneho Kwaku Appiah so that by a united force they will be able to unseat Chairman Wontumi during the Regional Delegates Conference.
From an interview we had with some supporters of Odeneho Kwaku Appiah and Asare Bediako, they accused Chairman Wontumi as a weak person who would be under the direct control of Dr. Bawumia and his wife Samira, and that Dr. Bawumia would control the affairs of Ashanti Region if Wontumi is elected again as the Ashanti Regional Chairman.
According to one of the interviewees, “Chairman Wontumi’s loyalty is to Bawumia/Samira and not the interest of Ashanti Region”
We also need to state that apart from Chairman Wontumi who has openly endorsed Dr. Bawumia for the 2024 general elections, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah and Asare Bediako are all yet to declare their choice for the NPP flagbearership contest.
However, in the interest of Alan Kyerematen Camp and other potential Flagbearers of NPP, we think that they should do everything possible to get Chairman Wontumi out as the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman.
Alan Kyerematen will be able to solidify his grounds in the Ashanti Region if Odeneho Kwaku Appiah or Asare Bediako, any of them is elected as the Ashanti Regional Chairman.
Wontumi as the Regional Chairman will work against Alan Kyerematen and other Flagbearer hopefuls in the Ashanti Region.
Source: Nana Okyere Nimo, Journalist/Blogger, USA.