It is public knowledge that the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, a.k.a Chairman Wontumi, was one of the key figures for the by-election, particularly, in terms of strategy.
Wontumi, who had won the Kumawu by-election as the party’s chairman of the region, was quickly co-opted to lead the campaign, and was paired with the parliamentary candidate, Charles Opoku. The dynamics changed to the NPP’s favour once Wontumi joined the campaign.
Exactly a week before the by-election, the constituency chairman for Nhyiaeso, Chairman Geokad and the former constituency chairman for Fomena, Akwasi Nti, who are known avowed anti-Wontumi persons in Ashanti, launched a strong smear campaign against Wontumi at Assin North. It is believed that, the thunderous call by the NPP members at Assin North on Wontumi to be the next National Chairman of the party infuriated these two to go after his person.
Wontumi got angry upon claims that the General Secretary, Justin Kodua, had a hand in the conduct of the two. Wontumi nearly abandoned the project, and returned to Kumasi. His passion and dedication for the Assin North project waned.
The question therefore was; why should the General Secretary bypass the Adansi constituencies to pick a constituency chairman all the way from Nhyiaeso, as well as pick a former constituency chairman who got suspended for creating confusion in his constituency? Why these two out of the 47 constituency chairmen and the numerous other former constituency chairmen?
People are of the view that, if you need one of your key men for the by-election, Wontumi, to remain focused, you don’t have to distract his attention by involving these two persons who have vowed to pick a bone with Wontumi everywhere their paths cross.
Source: Dr Frank Fabiola Executive Secretary Post Election Research In West Africa
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Masa this is just a 1 out of a 100 reasons why the NPP was 'dismantled ' in Assin North. Listen, how popular is chairman Wontumi in an area that does not cover his jurisdiction ( central region is not Ashanti region) for you to think that he can use one month or less to change the minds of the electorate in Assin north. NPP lost because people are just not happy with the style of leadership of the president. He doesn't listen to advice but thinks he can advice people to go the way he wants, No, it doesn't happen that way. The NPP as usual shot itself in the foot by going in for Charles Opoku. To the vast majority of the the electorate in Assin north allegiance to home constituency was more important to them than allegiance to country and they were right. Gyakye Quayson has dual nationality ( Ghanaian and Canadian) and this is public knowledge but he's a registered voter in his home constituency. On the other hand Charles Opoku owes allegiance to Ghana only, unfortunately for him he has no allegiance to his home constituency because he is not a registered voter at home , his vote is in Tarkwa Nsuem where he works. So Gyakye Quayson was leading Charles Opoku by one goal to nil in Assin north even before the 'match' started. He did cast his vote in one of the polling stations in Assin Breku, his home town. Charles Opoku hails from same town Assin Breku but had no polling station to cast his vote, so who should vote for Charles to win? Who? If there were to use the voter register to do a roll call in Assin north Charles Opoku names will not be mentioned and yet still someone thinks he can impose his wishes on some people, this one your powers haven't reached there. The last straw that broke the camels back was the presence of Akuffo Addo in the constituency especially the last rally where he spoke. Fact is Akuffo Addo's handlers are deceiving him. Currently his popularity is at an all time low, even some NPP supporters get peeved when they see him. More so he likes beating his chest when speaking in public, the least thing you see him using his hands to knock at his chest, in the Ghanaian culture that is a boastful posture. In the past he was doing same but people ignored it because they had trust in him. Now that his popularity has dwindled to near zero, knocking your chest at public events infuriates people. Again the NDC was more than prepared for Assin north. In 2020 the people of Assin north voted for Akuffo Addo but rejected the NPP MP, this should tell you that the people know what they are about. Today there is nothing like rural people, some rural dwellers are more current than some city dwellers , their radio sets are their friends, they move with it where ever they go listening to what's trending thanks to the numerous FM radio stations across Ghana, some FM stations even cross districts/regional boundaries so they know what is happening. Ghana is not Accra, there is more to Ghana than Accra. I don't pray for any MP to die. If there were to be another by election resulting from the resignation of an MP preferably an urban constituency where the voter population is huge say in Greater Accra , Ashanti or western regions we would have seen whether the NPP can still hold on to the votes they got in 2020, that would have prepared their minds for the task ahead . They shouldn't joke with Ghanaians. Even kufour, the humble J. A. Kufour himself with his many quality ministers together with his many pro poor policies including a very friendly business environment couldn't send the NPP to the newly constructed jubilee house he built after 8 years. Today the whole economy of Ghana is in a mess and you think you can cross? We won't go to the IMF today, we have the resources, the capacity, there are dire consequences, the following week, like a lotto staker, ' santan' you are at the doors of the IMF with a calabash in hand doing ' la la su la la for 3 billion dollars. Bond holder old men and women crying every day for their own monies to be given to them, school feeding caterers crying every day for an increase in a laughable 97 pesewas food per school pupils per day, as for building and road contractors their tears have dried up. Contractors have handed over projects they executed since 2020 but can't get their money's, (you buy a bag of cement at GHC 32.00 to execute a government project, now same bag of cement is going for GHC 98.00 and still don't know when you will be paid) , now it's independent power producers also issuing threats about shutting down their plants. The amazing thing is that majority of these people are NPP supporters oooo, ie the caterers and contractors/suppliers. if they are not happy today, why should they make you happy in Assin north and by extension in the 2024 general elections to come and enjoy at their expense. Even carnivorous animals don't go for their own, they go for other animals as meat not their own. For this current NPP the first person a minister or MMDCE or presidential staffer will bite is his own NPP member and yet still there is a certain 8 to break. The earlier they repent before their own supporters now and show remorse, the better if they still want to ride in V8's they didn't buy, (90% of them couldn't have afforded a V8 ), free accommodation, free fuel, free electricity, free water, free breakfast, lunch and supper, free medical care, free driver, gate man, garden boy, laundry man, ( after all you don't pay their salaries, it's the taxpayer) in 2025