Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) General Secretary John Boadu has publicly called on Kennedy Agyapong, a prominent NPP figure and former Assin Central MP, to clarify his stance on the controversial arrest of Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Wontumi’s detention on May 27, 2025, following a raid on his Kumasi residence, has sparked accusations of political persecution and internal party betrayal, with some pointing fingers at Agyapong’s camp.
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Boadu, speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, expressed frustration over the lack of unity within the NPP, describing Wontumi’s arrest as a “crisis situation” that demands collective party action. “This is not how you manage a crisis,” Boadu stated, emphasizing the need for party executives to rally together to protect the NPP’s image ahead of the 2028 elections. He urged Agyapong to address allegations that his Director of Special Operations, Felix Tetteh, provided EOCO with information leading to Wontumi’s arrest, as claimed by X user @SIKAOFFICIAL1. Boadu referenced a purported video and tape allegedly implicating Tetteh, calling for transparency to preserve party cohesion.
Wontumi was arrested after reporting to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on May 27, 2025, where he faced charges related to illegal mining and water pollution. EOCO’s subsequent detention, reportedly linked to a $55 million fraud involving Wontumi’s Akonta Mining and EXIM Bank, led to his hospitalization at the 37 Military Hospital after collapsing during an eight-hour interrogation. His lawyer, Andy Appiah-Kubi, confirmed Wontumi was granted bail with two sureties but remains under medical care, with interrogation suspended pending his recovery.
Boadu, reflecting on his tenure as General Secretary from 2008 to 2022, stressed the importance of protecting the party’s image, recalling its successes in 2008 and 2016. He criticized the “Rambo-style” arrest, echoing sentiments from NPP leaders like National Youth Organiser Salam Mustapha, who called it undemocratic. Boadu warned that targeting party figures like Wontumi, a key financier, could damage the NPP’s prospects, urging Agyapong to speak out to quell rumors and restore unity.
