The campaign team for former Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has issued a stern warning that it will no longer tolerate what it describes as “vile attacks and falsehoods” being spread against their candidate.
In an interview, campaign spokesperson Yaw Opoku Mensah declared the team’s readiness to “respond equally to all the lies and fabricated stories” directed at Dr. Adutwum.
Speaking on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s Frontline, Mr. Mensah asserted that Dr. Adutwum’s message is resonating with New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates, leading to a shift in support towards his candidacy. He claimed this momentum has prompted some individuals to resort to fabricating stories to “denigrate” the former minister.
While emphasizing the team’s commitment to “party unity” and the goal of winning the 2028 general elections, Mr. Mensah said they would not “descend into the gutters” with those engaged in “dirty politics.” However, he stressed they would not “sit and allow for people to throw dust in the eyes of the people.”
Mr. Mensah accused some party members, who he claims support another candidate, of being behind these “dirty political schemes.”
“Some party members have discovered that NPP delegates have started shifting to the camp of Dr. Adutwum, and so they have started fabricating lies about him,” he said. “They intend to use these stories to paint our candidate black, but we are also prepared to respond to them squarely with the truth and bury the lies.”
He expressed surprise at the extent of the falsehoods, noting, “People are creating fake news and attaching Dr. Adutwum’s name to these stories.” Mr. Mensah issued a direct warning to those involved, stating, “We want to caution those doing that to stop because we know who they are, and we will not hesitate to expose them.”
The spokesperson cited a recent interview with Dr. Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, former Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), as an example of the alleged smear campaign. Mr. Mensah recalled that Dr. Tandoh, who he claims is aligned with another candidate, blamed Dr. Adutwum for the challenges of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy while crediting its successes to another individual.
Dr. Tandoh had reportedly criticised Dr. Adutwum for “relying heavily on his personal expertise rather than seeking technical support from education professionals.”
In response, Mr. Mensah dismissed Dr. Tandoh’s comments as “politically motivated” and lacking sincerity.
“This is a pattern they are creating to create disaffection for Dr. Adutwum,” he said, alleging that Dr. Tandoh is in the camp of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. “They have started generating this level of political campaign, but we have cautioned them to be guided, or we will respond to them in equal measure.”
Mr. Mensah concluded by stating the campaign’s primary focus remains on ensuring Dr. Adutwum mobilizes the party as flagbearer to “snatch power from the NDC and return the NPP back into power after the 2028 elections.” He reiterated the team’s strategy: “If they fabricate the lies, we will counter them with the truth so they would be exposed.”