Actor John Dumelo has denied claims that he gave his blessing to his former friend Fred Nuamah to contest the parliamentary primary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

According to Dumelo, his 20-year relationship with Nuamah who was his best man at his wedding has ended because the latter lied in media interviews when he said he had received his blessing.

He said Nuamah’s bid was a joke as he did not have the capacity to win the primary and claim the seat from the incumbent New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament, Lydia Seyram Alhassan.

“Everything [Nuamah said] was full of lies,” Dumelo said on UTV’s United Showbiz Programme, barely 24 hours after he had told the Daily Graphic that the contest was not a threat to their friendship.

I never gave Fred Nuamah my blessings to contest Ayawaso West. He is a liar. – @johndumelo #UnitedShowbiz pic.twitter.com/kvpAoNQvse

— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) March 12, 2023

“We are not friends, as we speak now, we are not friends. We haven’t been friends for a couple of weeks now,” he added.

“At no point did I tell Fred that I am not contesting in Ayawaso West Wuogon, at no point. That is a lie. I never had a conversation with Yaw Sakyi about Fred Nuamah. Never, I can never give Fred Nuamah my blessings, when he knows I am coming to contest in Ayawaso West Wuogon.”

Dumelo said he considered it a betrayal when Nuamah released a flyer announcing his decision to contest the primary hours after attending his February 3 private birthday party.

“I am contesting and he will lose the primary, if you speak to the delegates, they all want John to come back to continue the good work he is doing. As for Fred coming, I don’t know his motivation. That is the point,” he said.

“He is a liar, I never said I won’t come back, I didn’t give him my blessings. But he, Fred, does he deserve my blessings? That he should go to Ayawaso West. Can he face NPP?”

In an earlier interview with the Daily Graphic, Nuamah had stated that their political ambitions were not a threat to their friendship.

“John Dumelo is a very good friend. In fact, he is like a brother to me. He accompanied me to seek the hand of my ex-partner in marriage when I went to see her parents. There is no need fighting dirty for the seat. I will tell the people what I have to offer and they will choose me if I am able to win their trust,” he said.

Dumelo’s attempt at taking the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat from the incumbent Lydia Seyram Alhassan in December 2020 was not successful as he was beaten by over 2,000 votes.

He polled 37,778 votes while the winner amassed 39,851 out of the 77,604 total votes.

Source: graphiconline.com/KwekuZurek