The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has accused former president Mahama of being behind independent parliamentary candidates in the Ashanti Region.

Addressing a charged crowd in Bekwai on Tuesday morning, Wontumi made specific reference to a parliamentary candidate in Bekwai, whom he said is being sponsored by Mahama to reduce the NPP's votes, but warned that all such candidates will fail miserably.

"There is a man in this area going around pretending to be NPP.  He has NPP colours on his posters and he goes around pretending to be NPP. He is not. He is a liar, ' Chairman Wontumi said.

"This man once came to my house with Kwabena Nyame (an NPP activist). He came and offered me a schnapp and money and said that I should help him to take out our MP Joe Wise. He offered me a bribe."

"I told him that Joe Wise is a First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, so if you take Joe Wise out, what can you do for the constituency? So I asked him to rather support Joe Wise."

"This was in 2020 and he didn't listen so he filed as an independent candidate. This man has done so many wicked things against us in this constituency."

Having given his background information on the independent candidate, Wontumi then dropped the bombshell of who is behind the candidate and other independent candidates.

"Please listen to me. I want to tell you that John Mahama is the one behind those who have filed to contest as independent candidates here in Ashanti Region."

"They (NDC) have realised we will win the election ‘one touch,’ so John Mahama has given them  money to stand as independent candidates so our votes will come down. These people have been holding meetings with the NDC."

Wontumi, however, warned the candidates that they won't even get 2% of the votes in December.

"Let him know that the governor of Ashanti, I, am in Bekwai.

“I want to tell him that for this election, even if he gets 2%, he should laugh at me."