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Claim: An X user, @ksarfo_ababio, has claimed that the NDC Parliamentary Candidate of the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, John Dumelo, has described Ashantis as thieves.
Verdict: False. John Dumelo never referred to Ashantis as thieves. While he did express concerns about election rigging, particularly in the Ashanti Region, he did not describe Ashantis in such a manner. These comments were made during an interview with Bola Ray on Starr FM on April 4, 2024.
Full Text
An X user, @ksarfo_ababio, has claimed that John Dumelo, the NDC parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, called Ashantis “thieves.” This claim, posted on August 29, 2024, has garnered over 28,000 views and over 100 likes on X. The accusation is based on a two-minute video in which @ksarfo_ababio interprets Mr Dumelo’s comments, labeling Ashantis thieves.
According to the user, Dumelo allegedly said, “Ashantis are thieves; they stole the 2016 and 2020 elections for the NPP, and if the NDC doesn’t care, they’ll do the same in 2024. I don’t understand what exactly Ashantis have done to the NDC to deserve such sheer disrespect, especially after giving them more votes than their stronghold ever could.”
Given the potential for such statements to increase ethnic tension ahead of the election, DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim to assess its accuracy.
Verification
First, DUBAWA critically analysed the video as published by the X user. To avoid doubt, this is the conversation Bola Ray had with the NDC Parliamentary Candidate of the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, John Dumelo.
Bola Ray: You harbour the thought that the NPP can rig the elections.
Dumelo: Elections are free but can never be fair under the NPP, so we are ready for whatever happens.
Bola Ray: That is a serious statement. But of course, they have been in power for these two terms. They have been in power since President Kufour. Are you saying that during those times it wasn’t free and fair?
Dumelo: No. Go to the Ashanti Region and listen to what they say. You have people just thumb-printing the ballot paper.
Bola Ray: But President Mahama conceded, which means that, yes, he carried on.
Dumelo: Because he is a peaceful man. President Mahama is a peaceful man.
Bola Ray: So are you saying President Akufo Addo did not win the 2016 elections fair and square?
Dumelo: No, they didn’t win it. How can you get one million invisible votes? Look, we have had a thorough analysis of the 2020 elections, and we realised that there was rigging machinery.
Bola Ray: You were beaten in 2016 and 2020, too. If you knew they rigged the elections, why weren’t you out there to also protect the ballots?
Dumelo: We did, but in 2024 it is going to be different.
Bola Ray: How different?
Dumelo: Because the voice of the people is always the voice of God.
Bola Ray: Are you saying in 2020 you were not vigilant?
Dumelo: We were vigilant in 2020.
Bola Ray: Are you sore losers?
Dumelo: No, we were not sore losers.
Bola Ray: So what are you going to do in 2024 that you feel like you can’t be rigged?
Dumelo: Extra vigilant.
Bola Ray: And the NPP have also been extra vigilant, and you are saying it is not free and fair.
Dumelo: They are going to rig the elections; do you know the things they are doing?
Bola Ray: Are you not putting something into the air, and to the effect that you don’t win, you say you said it?
Dumelo: No, we are winning the 2024 elections hands down.
According to the analysis of this interaction, the claim that John Dumelo called Ashantis “thieves” is false. In the conversation with Bola Ray, John Dumelo expressed concerns about election rigging, particularly in the Ashanti Region, but he did not refer to Ashantis as thieves. His delivery focused on alleged irregularities in the voting process, not on labelling any ethnic group with derogatory terms. The claim misrepresents Mr. Dumelo’s statements and takes his comments out of context. Therefore, the claim circulating on social media is inaccurate and misleading.
DUBAWA also thoroughly assessed the entire interview published by Bola Ray on April 4, 2024, and discovered that Mr Dumelo never called Ashanti’s thieves.
Conclusion
John Dumelo never characterised Ashantis as thieves. Although he raised concerns about potential election rigging, specifically in the Ashanti Region, he did not use such language to describe Ashantis.
