New Patriotic Party National Chairman hopeful Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has secured nomination forms to contest the party’s National Chairman position despite currently serving a 20 year custodial sentence.
According to members of his campaign team, the acquisition of the nomination forms demonstrates that Mr Boasiako remains committed to his ambition of leading the NPP at the national level even as he pursues legal avenues to challenge his conviction and sentence.
Mr Boasiako, who currently serves as the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, is serving a 20 year prison sentence following his conviction by an Accra High Court over offences associated with illegal mining activities at the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.
The court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie Tay, found him guilty on several counts, including the unlawful assignment of mineral rights without the requisite ministerial authorisation and the deliberate facilitation of mining operations conducted without the necessary licence.
The individual sentences imposed on the various counts are being served concurrently, leaving Mr Boasiako with an effective custodial sentence of 20 years.
The court additionally ordered him to pay a fine of GH¢120,000. Should he fail to settle the financial penalty, he would face an additional three year term of imprisonment in default. That default sentence is also to run concurrently with his substantive custodial term.
Mr Boasiako has rejected the outcome and is challenging both his conviction and the punishment imposed by the court.
His legal representatives have consequently filed an application seeking his release on bail pending the hearing and final determination of his appeal.
While the judicial process remains ongoing, however, his political campaign has continued, with his representatives obtaining the official nomination forms required for his participation in the NPP National Chairman contest.
The development introduces an unusual dimension to the party’s forthcoming national executive elections, as Mr Boasiako seeks to progress from his current position as Ashanti Regional Chairman to one of the most influential positions within the NPP’s national leadership structure.
His decision to pursue the chairmanship while incarcerated is expected to provoke further discussion concerning the legal eligibility, administrative requirements and practical implications of his candidacy.
The development also places the NPP before an unprecedented internal political situation as the party prepares to elect its next national executives and considers the competing ambitions of individuals seeking leadership positions at a critical stage in its organisational future.
