- John Dumelo insults MP Lydia Alhassan, calling her a "bloody widow"
- He apologizes for the comment, citing personal attacks as a trigger
- Dumelo faces public backlash for his "emotionally unintelligent" remark
John Dumelo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, has issued a formal apology after making derogatory remarks about his rival, incumbent MP Hon. Lydia Alhassan.
Dumelo’s apology follows backlash over his comments during a debate on Wednesday. The actor had publicly accused Alhassan of orchestrating her husband’s death to secure her parliamentary seat, a statement made in response to chants from her supporters.
During the heated exchange, Dumelo stated, “I can see their supporters mentioning V8 V8 V8. If that’s the case then it’s also fair to say that maybe Lydia is the one that killed her husband to become MP. If they want to go that tangent I can also go same tangent… You cannot decide to be a bloody widow to be a Member of Parliament.”
Following intense criticism, Dumelo retracted his remarks and apologized in a Facebook post on Thursday. He wrote, “I apologize and unreservedly retract my previous comments. I extend my sincere and unconditional apologies to Hon. Lydia Alhassan for my remarks during the Media General public engagement (Community Manifesto) concerning the death of her husband.”
Dumelo explained that his comments were a reaction to personal attacks from Alhassan’s supporters, including false claims about his mother’s death. He acknowledged, however, that his response was inappropriate and did not align with his values.
The incident has been met with widespread condemnation on social media. One user remarked, “After watching the irresponsible behaviour of John Dumelo. My admiration for Hon. Lydia Alhassan soared. She has not reacted despite the unprovoked insults, lies and disrespect. That is a mark of a mature politician. A good mother for Ayawaso West Wuogon.”
Another user criticized Dumelo’s response, stating, “From John Dumelo eroded some of the gains he has made over the past 4 years with this comment. It was provoked but his reaction to the provocation was disproportionate and extremely childish.”
A third comment read, “You are emotionally unintelligent. You don’t deserve to be a representative of the Ayawaso West Wuogon people.”
