Wontumi campaign fires back at Presidential Staffer over remarks on Chairman’s legal cases
The Communication Directorate of the Wontumi Campaign has issued a sharp rebuttal to comments attributed to Rosemond Obeng, a presidential staffer, who reportedly suggested that no serious political party would permit a candidate with active court cases to contest for chairmanship.
In a press statement released on Saturday, May 16, the campaign described the remarks, published by UTV Ghana, as politically naive and historically uninformed, arguing that legal challenges have never been a reliable measure of a leader’s fitness for office.
To buttress their position, the Directorate drew on a wide range of historical examples.
Locally, they pointed to Ghana’s founding President Kwame Nkrumah, who was imprisoned by colonial authorities during the 1950 Positive Action campaign, yet whose Convention People’s Party went on to win the 1951 elections, paving the way for his release and eventual rise to Prime Minister.
They also referenced Jerry John Rawlings, who was court-martialled and imprisoned in 1979 before going on to become Head of State and later Ghana’s constitutional President.
Within the current NDC administration, the campaign cited Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, acquitted in the ambulance procurement case in July 2024, and NDC General Secretary Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey as examples of leaders who overcame legal and political hurdles to reach positions of national responsibility.
On the international front, the statement invoked Nelson Mandela, who endured 27 years of imprisonment before leading South Africa as its first democratically elected President, former US President Donald Trump, who retained political relevance despite multiple criminal indictments, and former South African President Thabo Mbeki, who withstood years of persecution under apartheid before ascending to national leadership.
The campaign also reached into Scripture, drawing parallels with Joseph, David, and Jesus Christ as figures who faced false accusations or persecution before fulfilling their destinies.
“History, politics, and Scripture all confirm one undeniable truth: trials do not destroy great leaders; they often prepare them for greater responsibilities,” the statement read.
The Directorate maintained that Chairman Wontumi’s legal matters reflect the intensity of political resistance faced by consequential actors in Ghana’s democratic landscape, rather than any disqualifying characteristic.
It criticised Ms Obeng for speaking without adequate historical or intellectual grounding, asserting that political history belongs to those who endure adversity.
Chairman Wontumi, the campaign reiterated, remains focused on rebuilding the NPP and supporting Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s presidential ambitions ahead of the 2028 elections.
WONTUMI-CAMP.-TEAM-RESPOND-PRES.-STAFFER
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