A/R NPP Chairmanship: I Was Paid To Step down For Wontumi – Asare Bediako Reveals | Politics

Former Asokwa Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and an aspirant for the Ashanti Regional Chairmanship position, Mr. Robert Asare-Bediako has boldly admitted to taking money from party leaders to declare support for Wontumi in 2018 polls.

In an interview he granted to the state broadcaster in the Ashanti Region, Garden City Radio on Thursday, May 5, 2022, he said;

“I was called by party leaders to step down for Wontumi at the time. They promised to pay for all I’d spent so accepted. I left for the USA to move on with my life after the elections. Later I was invited by the party hierarchy, and they paid an amount as compensation. So yes if you ask me…I was paid, in fact, all the debt incurred was paid in full. If for nothing at all I campaigned on the ticket of the party and that alone is a plus for them…” he stated.

According to Asare-Bediako, his decision to bow out of the race then was reached upon circumstances beyond his control so there was nothing he could do but to step aside for incumbent Regional Chairman, Mr Bernard Antwi Bosiako, aka Wontumi to go solo.

NPP Mounting pressure on contestants to step down?

Recall that, earlier this year there was growing disquiet within the ranks and file of the ruling NPP party in the Ashanti Region.

It followed what some described as “pressure from some party elders at the National level” on some contestants to step down in the just ended constituency and forthcoming regional chairmanship polls.

The contradictions 

Robert Asare-Bediako, on Wednesday, 11th April 2018 issued and signed a letter explaining his exit from the chairmanship race.

Portions of the letter read:

“The “panin pa wo fie” campaign has the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at heart. But, upon sober reflection and introspection, and circumstances beyond my control, I, Robert Asare Bediako, gracefully suspend my campaign,” the letter partly reads.

Then on April 12, 2018, barely 3 days to the polls, he denied on Accra based Peace FM any machinations by party big guns in his decision to withdraw from the Regional Chairmanship race.

Bediako claimed that he was not paid to step down as was earlier reported in the media, adding that the move was in the spirit of unity ahead of the 2020 elections. 

However, many people after Asare Bediako’s interview and subsequent contradiction have argued that based on his confessions, he could step down again for Wontumi should he decide to pay him, and effectively end his ambition to be the Ashanti Regional chairman.