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The leadership of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region has said the crowd that stormed the police command requesting the release of its Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, was not acting under the orders of the party.

The agitated crowd, claiming to be supporters of the NPP, also accused President John Mahama of orchestrating the arrest of Chairman Wontumi, a claim the NPP have disassociated itself from.

The police have already indicated Chairman Wontumi was detained following allegations of assault leveled against him by the NPP Member of Parliament for Manhyia North, Collins Amankwah.

According to the angry crowd, the arrest has been orchestrated to deliberately divert the party’s attention from the ongoing limited voters’ registration exercise.

The Deputy Secretary of the NPP in the Ashanti Region, Kwame Adom Appiah, has however denied claims that the obstruction at the police station was planned by the NPP.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, he said, “it was just about 30 minutes ago that people heard that the chairman had been detained, and it was an instantaneous response. It’s not that somebody has invited them to be there.”

Mr. Appiah added that the crowd only became agitated when they realised there was a possibility Chairman Wontumi would spend the night behind bars.

“It was when things turned out that probably he may not go home today that people instantaneously, on their own, came there. It’s not that somebody invited them there.”

On claims that President Mahama orchestrated the arrest of the Regional Chairman, Mr. Appiah simply said, “everybody is entitled to his opinion… when you put one or two together, you are entitled to form your opinion but as to whether that opinion is right or wrong, I cannot judge.”

He however indicated that the party leadership was trying to calm the tensions and gave assurances they will be cooperating with the police.

“We are trying to let them know that we are a law abiding party and we will cooperate with police inasmuch as they are also applying the law.”