A dramatic revelation from the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Ghana, Rev. Dr. Stephen Y. Wengam, has exposed the behind-the-scenes wrangling over President John Dramani Mahama’s movements.
This has raised questions about presidential priorities, the influence of spouses, and clerical interference in state affairs.
According to Rev. Wengam, the President had initially planned to travel to Côte d’Ivoire to serve as a special guest for the country’s Independence Day celebrations—a national assignment with diplomatic significance.
However, that plan was abruptly overturned after a heated phone exchange between First Lady Lordina Mahama and the President, with the pastor himself playing a role in lobbying against the trip.
“Pastor, President says he’s going to la Côte d’Ivoire, but no. We are coming for this program. We have planned this for a long time. No way,” the First Lady reportedly told Rev. Wengam, describing the standoff as a “battle on the phone.”
Wengam admitted that he was not comfortable with the President’s decision to skip the church event, calling on his prayer team to “reverse” the decision.
President Mahama attended the Assemblies of God function instead of fulfilling his initial foreign engagement, a decision the pastor credits with sparing the President from a fatal helicopter crash that later killed senior government and military officials.
But the incident has sparked concern about blurred lines between church influence and state decision-making.
A concerned member of the church insists that the episode suggests that presidential schedules, including matters of national interest, can be swayed by personal commitments, spousal insistence, and even pastoral persuasion.
It noted that Rev. Wengam’s posturing is courting hatred and disaffection for the Assemblies of God church, especially as the pastor appears to be dabbling in politics.
For Rev. Wengam, the takeaway was a call for pastors to be “prophetic” and prayerful.
For political observers, it raises deeper questions about who truly directs the affairs of the nation: the President, his advisors, or those with his ear behind the pulpit and at home.
