George Oduro, a former Member of Parliament for New Edubiase, has revealed that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has pledged not to retaliate against the National Democratic Congress (NDC) should the NPP return to power.

According to Oduro, despite Chairman Wontumi’s ongoing legal battles under the current NDC-led government, he has resolved to respect the legal process rather than harbor resentment or seek revenge if the political tides turn.

Speaking in an interview on Movement TV on June 4, 2025, Oduro described Chairman Wontumi as someone who values forgiveness over vengeance.

“He said it is not important to retaliate, so there’s no need for that. He is someone who doesn’t like to retaliate. Even when you wrong him, he will forgive you,” Oduro stated.

He added that there were individuals within the NPP who turned their backs on Wontumi during the party’s executive elections, despite having previously received his support — yet Wontumi chose not to retaliate.

“There were people he helped in the NPP who later turned their backs on him during the party’s executive elections, but he didn’t pay them back,” he said.

Chairman Wontumi was released by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Monday, June 2, 2025, after being arrested on multiple charges. His release came after meeting bail conditions, with assistance from Bryan Acheampong, the former Minister for Food and Agriculture and Member of Parliament for Abetifi, who stood as one of his sureties.

A motion to appeal the GH¢50 million bail condition was withdrawn by his legal team on Monday, June 2. The motion, initially filed on May 30 and scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, June 3, was retracted a day earlier.

On Wednesday, May 28, two additional sureties were added to fulfill the bail conditions. His legal team, led by lawyer Andy Appiah-Kubi, confirmed that the full bail requirements were met by Friday, May 30. However, his release was delayed because the bail review application had been filed without his express authorization.

On Thursday, May 29, members of the minority party demonstrated at EOCO headquarters and staged a walkout from Parliament, demanding Wontumi’s immediate release. They argued that, given his public reputation and low flight risk, he should have been released on his own recognizance.

KA