November 1, 2025 — Accra, Ghana
Member of Parliament for Asante Akim South, Hon. Kwaku Asante-Boateng, has issued a strong rebuttal to what he describes as a “deliberate and shameful attempt” to twist his comments made during an appearance on Adom TV’s Badwam program last week.
In a statement released on Saturday, Hon. Asante-Boateng said recent reports falsely suggesting that he referred to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a “slave” within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are “malicious, dishonest, and a gross distortion” of his remarks.
According to him, his comments were taken out of context by individuals seeking to inject religious and ethnic sentiments into a discussion that was purely about loyalty, service, and sacrifice in the NPP.
“During that interview, I drew an analogy rooted in Asante chieftaincy traditions to explain a clear political principle,” he clarified.
“Leadership in the NPP is earned through long-standing commitment, sacrifice, and service, especially in the most difficult moments of our party’s history.”
Hon. Asante-Boateng emphasized that his reference to Dr. Bawumia’s nomination in 2008 as a “stranger” was not meant in any ethnic or religious sense, but rather as a political observation about his relatively new involvement in the party’s internal structures at the time.
He noted that despite Dr. Bawumia’s initial unfamiliarity with the NPP grassroots, the party entrusted him with immense responsibility—a mark of the NPP’s inclusiveness and trust.
“Since then, Dr. Bawumia has served eight years as running mate and another eight years as Vice President. His service is acknowledged and appreciated. However, service, no matter how noble, does not automatically confer a right to be President,” he stated.
The MP also highlighted that many longstanding members of the NPP, including Hon. Ambrose Dery, Hajia Alima Mahama, Prof. Kassim Kasanga, Boniface Abubakar Sadique, and others, have equally served the party with distinction and deserve fair consideration in its leadership conversations.
Expressing disappointment at what he termed the “dangerous and divisive misrepresentation” of his remarks, Hon. Asante-Boateng criticized some media commentators and political figures—particularly investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni—for repeating the false narrative without verifying the facts.
He also described as unfortunate the NPP General Secretary’s statement, which he said was issued based on the same misleading interpretation.
“I urge all party members, supporters, and the general public to disregard the mischievous narratives being circulated by elements seeking to create disaffection and internal discord,” he said.
“My commitment to the NPP remains unwavering, and my dedication to its ideals of unity, meritocracy, inclusivity, and progress remains resolute.”
Hon. Asante-Boateng concluded by calling on party members to reject any attempts to divide the NPP along ethnic or religious lines, stressing that such tactics only serve to undermine the unity and cohesion of the party.
Read Full Statement: