Member of Parliament for Effiduase Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, has disclosed that senior members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are planning to visit President John Dramani Mahama to formally apologise on behalf of Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Wontumi is currently under investigation by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for alleged financial crimes, including money laundering and fraud.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV’s Face to Face with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Tuesday, June 10, Dr. Ayew Afriyie alleged that President Mahama may be behind Wontumi’s legal troubles.
“For Chairman Wontumi’s case, we’re going to beg. The hand behind this is bigger than the people who run EOCO and the intelligence agencies. I’ll put it at the doorstep of President Mahama,” he said.
“Wontumi went overboard in some of his videos. I played many of them to him on June 9. I told him we will go and apologise — even if it means kneeling before President Mahama — and tell him that Wontumi crossed the line.”
Dr. Afriyie admitted that Wontumi’s past remarks, widely circulated in videos ahead of the 2024 elections, were inappropriate and personal. He added that Wontumi had accepted the need to apologise.
While acknowledging the rough-and-tumble nature of political rivalry, Dr. Afriyie emphasised that personal attacks based on falsehoods must not be condoned, and called on party leaders to show humility in resolving the matter.
Chairman Wontumi was arrested and detained by EOCO but was released after meeting bail conditions on Friday, May 30.
His legal team had earlier filed a motion to review the GH¢50 million bail bond, but the motion was withdrawn on Monday, June 2 — a day before its scheduled hearing — due to Wontumi’s disapproval of the application.
He was initially granted bail on Wednesday, May 28, with two justified sureties. Despite meeting the conditions, his release was delayed because of the pending motion.
According to his lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, the legal team was eventually able to secure his release after the motion was withdrawn.
