Respected political scientist, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, has taken a swipe at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over reports that the party is planning to apologise to President John Dramani Mahama on behalf of its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi.
Speaking on the matter, Dr. Asah-Asante questioned the sincerity and timing of the planned apology, pointing out that the damage had already been done and that Wontumi himself had not taken personal responsibility.
“You have abused him—I’m not talking about Dr. Afriyie who has abused him. But Wontumi has abused him? Mahama and all that. And now we are at this level. Why the need for apology?” Dr. Asah-Asante asked pointedly.
While conceding that public figures can make mistakes, he questioned the motive behind the planned visit to Mahama.
“I concede that we are human beings. We can make mistakes, and when we do, we should be able to have the courage to speak. They are doing something for Wontumi—are they his spokesmen? What about he himself? Has he also expressed that desire to apologize? And why now?”
The debate follows comments made by Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, during an interview on Channel One TV on Tuesday, June 10.
Dr. Afriyie revealed that some senior NPP figures were preparing to visit President Mahama to formally apologise for Wontumi’s inflammatory rhetoric, especially leading up to the 2024 elections.
He admitted that Wontumi’s behaviour had gone overboard, citing several viral clips.
“Wontumi went overboard in some of his videos. And I played a lot of them to show him on June 9,” Dr. Afriyie disclosed.
“I told him we will go and beg—if we have to kneel down in front of President Mahama—and we will tell him that for these videos, he [Wontumi] crossed the line.”
The development comes at a time when Chairman Wontumi is already under investigation by EOCO for alleged financial crimes, raising questions about whether the apology is a strategic move or a genuine gesture of remorse.
