Actor, entrepreneur and politician John Setor Dumelo has categorically dismissed claims that he gave his blessings to his friend and movie industry colleague Fred Nuamah to contest, as he is, the Parliamentary seat for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency. 

Dumelo made this known on Saturday, March 11, 2023, when he appeared on Accra-based UTV's United Showbiz programme hosted by Gloria Akpene Nyarku-Acquah, Mz Gee.

According to the movie star Dumelo, the Ghana Movie Awards Chief Executive, Fred Nuamah, has betrayed their friendship and spread lies about him blessing him to contest in the 2024 Parliamentary elections. 

In fact, Dumelo said, Fred "called me two months ago to tell me he had heard I was coming back [to contest] and so he expressed his support for my bid to come back, and [now] he is saying I gave [him] blessings [to contest]. When did I give [him] blessings? When did I give my blessings to him?"

He informed the TV programme's audience that Fred Nuamah "came to my birthday on 3 February – there was a surprise party for me and he attended. He came there and it was that very evening that he released his flier [announcing to contest for the seat]. 

After the release of the flier, Fred, according to John, sent "a long text message" to explain himself. In response, John said: 'Fred, I never told you I am not coming back'. The next thing you know, he's gone to pick a form. So which blessings did I give?" 

John Dumelo was asked to summerise the message Fred Nuamah sent him. He did not divulge the exact content of the said message.

Rather, his response was: "What I am saying is, I never gave him my blessings, I never told him in the face that 'Fred, I am never coming back so you can go [contest there in the constituency]'. I never said it. Never, in any conversation whatsoever."

Regarding how he reacted to Nuamah's flier, he lamented that: "I think that's a betrayal, that's a stab in the back. Someone I've known for almost 20 years – that's a stab in the back."

He was quizzed concerning his line of action in view of Fred Nuamah's move to contest against him in the impending primaries of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

John was unwavering that Fred stands no chance against him.

"He [Fred Nuamah] will lose the primaries," John categorically said. 

"If you speak to people, if you speak to the delegates, everyone says, 'We want John to come back and continue the good work he is doing. As for Fred, we don't know why he is contesting'. That's the point!" he explained his confident stance. 

"I didn't want to speak about this issue but it is time I cleared the air because the whole week, he's been making various allegations about me. Number one, he is a liar; number two, [he's said] I will not come back; number three, I never gave him my blessings," he stressed.

He also questioned Fred's competence to compete and win against the ruling New Patriotic Party's (NPP) candidate.

"Does Fred even deserve my blessings?" he asked. "Does he deserve me blessing him saying, 'Oh Fred, go [contest] at Ayawaso West'? Does he think politics is a joke? Or does he think we are joking around? Can he contest NPP [New Patriotic Party]?"

"I competed NPP boot-for-boot in 2020 [but] can he?" he recounted boldly. "We're serious here. We're not joking about politics and making vain noise. We didn't come here to joke."

In a Graphic Showbiz interview, the Ghana Movie Awards CEO turned politician, Fred Nuamah, said his friend John Dumelo, had informed him and others that he had no plans to contest the Ayawaso West Wuguon seat in the Greater Accra Region in the impending 2024 general elections.

Fred said John “gave me his blessings when I made up my mind to contest.”

Expressing his surprise at John's declaration to compete at the primaries, contrary to what he says he told him, Fred added that: “I would have rather expected him to honour his word when he said he won’t contest the seat and, therefore, throw his support behind me.” 

John Dumelo has announced his intention to contest the Ayawaso West Wuogon primaries of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) a second time, Sunday, February 26, 2023.

In a tweet he said: “After an extensive consultation with my God, my family and our party faithfuls in Ayawaso West Wuogon, this’ the second coming.”

The actor contested the NDC primaries prior to the 2020 general elections and won.

He, however, lost the main elections to the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Lydia Seyram Alhassan.

Ms Alhassan, who was then the incumbent, polled 39,851 votes, while first-timer, Mr Dumelo polled 37,778 votes.

In 2019 when Dumelo was getting married, Nuamah was his best man.