Former New Edubease MP, Hon. George Oduro, has come to the defence of embattled NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, amid swirling rumours that he faked a mild stroke to wriggle out of trouble with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Chairman Wontumi’s appearance raised eyebrows when he was spotted looking pale and weak after meeting bail conditions following his arrest on May 27, 2025.
The image of him being assisted to move sparked a wave of online speculations, including bold claims from Garu MP, Dr. Thomas Anabah, who alleged that Wontumi was simply pretending to be ill.
“There shouldn’t be any sympathy. There is no stroke in him. He’s just pretending,” the NDC lawmaker said in a media interview.
But George Oduro is calling that bluff. Speaking in a passionate defence, he dismissed the claims as reckless and unfounded, questioning Dr. Anabah’s medical integrity. “I will be surprised if he is a medical doctor,” Oduro jabbed.
He clarified that Wontumi’s frail state wasn’t due to any illness—feigned or real—but rather self-imposed deprivation during his five-day stay in EOCO custody.
“Chairman Wontumi refused to eat or drink water for five days,” he revealed. “Naturally, if you don’t drink water for three days, you’ll break down. But he went five whole days without food or water. Why would he fake?”
Chairman Wontumi’s troubles began when EOCO picked him up over allegations tied to economic and organised crimes—though the specifics have yet to be officially detailed.
His arrest sent shockwaves through the political landscape, especially in the Ashanti Region, where he holds significant sway.
He was later granted bail to the tune of GH¢50 million with two sureties to be justified. It took some time, but once his legal team met the bail conditions, he was released.
The visual of a weak and seemingly broken Wontumi exiting EOCO premises ignited a firestorm of debates—was he genuinely unwell or putting on a performance?
Oduro insists it was real exhaustion and starvation, not theatrics.
“Chairman Wontumi has endured too much to fake something like this,” he said. “Let’s focus on truth, not propaganda.”
