Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 general election was last Friday tricked by the officials of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and senior operatives of the other security agencies.
Dr. Bawumia and NPP leadership had prior arrangement with officers of these security agencies to see the embattled NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako also known as Chairman who has been detained by EOCO since Tuesday May 27, 2025 without any official criminal charges.
However, the former Vice President, Minority Leader in Parliament Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin and other national officers of the NPP were virtually snubbed as they could not see Chairman Wontumi.
Even though Dr. Bawumia and his entourage were allowed into the premises of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) headquarters in Accra, they were not allowed to meet with the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman.
Dr. Bawumia lamented that the visit had been arranged in advance and that party leaders were disheartened by the setback.
He expressed his disappointment over the apparent betrayal of trust by the security agencies.
“We are very disappointed in our inability to see Wontumi because we made prior arrangements. We’ve expressed our disappointment and will continue to engage the authorities
“We wanted to see him and find out how he is doing. Unfortunately, the NIB feels the crowd is too large, and they are not able to bring him here at the moment,” Dr. Bawumia told journalists in disappointment.
Bawumia bemoans Wontumi’s detention
Earlier, Dr. Bawumia expressed deep concerns about the arrest and continued detention of Chairman Wontumi, particularly as the charges remain vague, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
“In a democratic environment as ours, no individual is above the law. Equally, no Ghanaian—regardless of political affiliation or status—should ever be denied their constitutional rights. Justice and due process are not optional; they are the foundation of our democracy.
“I have been in constant touch with Mr. Wontumi’s legal team since this morning to ensure that his rights are protected and that due process is followed. I commend them for their professionalism and vigilance.
“I also urge the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and all relevant state institutions to act strictly within the bounds of the law and to respect the rights of Mr. Wontumi as guaranteed by our Constitution. Any deviation from these principles risks undermining public trust in our justice system and weakening the democratic values we have worked hard to build.
“Ghana must always remain a nation governed by law—not by arbitrary power. Our Republic is strongest when our institutions are both firm and fair,” Dr Bawumia stated on Facebook timelines.
‘Posterity is watching’
Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has denounced what he described as a politically motivated show of power by the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in the arrest and continued detention of Chairman Wontumi.
Speaking to the media outside the NIB headquarters on Friday, May 30, Osahen Afenyo-Markin reiterated that the leadership of the NPP had made prior arrangements to visit the embattled NPP regional chairman, only for those plans to be thwarted at the last minute.
“Well, all those arrangements were made and upon getting here, they now tell us a different story,” he said, describing the situation as deeply troubling.
The Minority Leader further raised concerns over what he termed as excessive bail demands, lamenting that ‘in a country like Ghana, someone would demand GH¢50 million worth of properties before a person is granted enquiry bail.’
He warned the governing party to tread cautiously, “I am telling my friends in the NDC one more time that they should check some of these things because posterity is watching them.”
Osahen Afenyo-Markin also questioned the handling of the entire process.
“They claim they couldn’t bring him here. He is still in the custody of the NIB at their Kawukudi office, and until EOCO authorises, we cannot even see him. You and I know they are using the bail to punish him,” he said.
The Minority Leader described the situation as an abuse of power, adding, “They are showing Wontumi where power lies. They are showing power, so let them continue. But I repeat, posterity is watching.”
He called for a more level-headed and democratic approach to political engagement.
“Let us put an end to that era of ‘you do me, I do you’. If something was wrong yesterday, it is still wrong today and will remain wrong tomorrow,” he cautioned.
