Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Wontumi, remains a candidate in the race for the national chairmanship of Ghana’s New Patriotic Party (NPP), according to a party official. The statement comes despite Wontumi’s current imprisonment on a 20-year sentence.
Dr Palgrave Boakye-Danquah made the remarks in a report published by Modern Ghana on Friday, 7 August 2026. He said the jailed politician has not withdrawn from the contest and is still in the running for the top party post.
Wontumi, who previously led the NPP in the Ashanti Region, was convicted and sentenced to two decades behind bars. He has since filed a bail application after lodging an appeal against the conviction, according to Yen News. The appeal process means the legal case remains unresolved.
The development has drawn reactions from other political figures. Asiedu Nketiah, a senior figure in the opposing National Democratic Congress (NDC), claimed the NPP had enough evidence to jail Wontumi earlier but failed to act. GhanaWeb reported those comments.
The case has also become part of a broader conversation about anti-corruption efforts in Ghana. Africa Confidential noted that the situation is testing the country’s judiciary, as courts handle politically sensitive matters.
It remains unclear how the NPP’s internal election rules treat a candidate who is incarcerated. Party leadership has not issued a formal statement on whether a prison sentence disqualifies a contender.
What to watch next: Whether Wontumi’s bail application succeeds and how the NPP’s election committee rules on his eligibility if the appeal remains pending.
