Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, has stated that any offence President John Mahama may have taken from his actions stems from political rivalry rather than personal hostility. Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, noted that disagreements are inevitable in a democracy but stressed he does not intentionally seek to offend opponents.
The outspoken NPP figure, who is vying for the party’s national chairmanship, said his political career is built on firm convictions tempered with respect for others. ‘I am NPP, and he [Mahama] is NDC. I may have offended him in the political space, but personally, I do not set out to offend him,’ Wontumi remarked during an appearance on Atumpan
“I am very tough but very respectful,” he added.
“In the course of my work as an NPP member, I may have stepped on toes, but when that happens, it is never intentional. It is simply part of the work we do as politicians,” he said.
Issue-based engagement
The Ashanti Regional chairman also rejected the notion that he thrives on attacking political opponents, saying he prefers issue-based engagement. Wontumi further argued that leaders should be willing to acknowledge mistakes and apologise when necessary, regardless of their status.
“I am not fond of raining insults on my opponents,” he said, while acknowledging that Ghana’s often heated political environment can sometimes generate tension between competing actors. “I am not above reproach,” he said. “As parents, we apologise to our children all the time — how much more so the first gentleman of the land.”
Wontumi has in recent weeks intensified public engagements as he seeks support for his bid to become the NPP’s next national chairman, presenting himself as a grassroots leader capable of rebuilding the party following its 2024 electoral defeat.
Source: Jonathan Ofori
