Convicted former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, will file his nomination to contest the party's National Chairman position on Thursday, August 27, 2026, despite currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

His campaign team is set to submit the completed nomination forms at the NPP's national headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra on the said date.

An Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, convicted Boasiako on charges connected to illegal mining activities at the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.

The court found him guilty of assigning mineral rights without the required ministerial approval and facilitating unlicensed mining operations. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with an additional fine of GH¢120,000.

His legal team has since filed an application seeking bail pending the hearing and determination of his appeal against the conviction and sentence.

Ewuradwoa Coleman, Communications Director for Wontumi's campaign team, confirmed the planned filing and defended the decision to press ahead with the candidacy.

"Yes, indeed, the campaign team has picked up forms on behalf of Chairman Wontumi. We are continuing his bid in the National Chairmanship race," she told Joy News.

"We believe that Chairman Wontumi should be able to have the opportunity to go through the party's established processes. If there is a legal or constitutional impediment to his candidacy, we believe that the appropriate party authority or competent body would determine that in accordance with the rules. But politically, we believe that his incarceration should not automatically be equated with the end of his political ambitions."

The move has raised significant constitutional questions. A legal opinion cited provisions of the 1992 Constitution, including Article 55(8) and Article 94(2)(c)(ii), which bar persons convicted of high crimes or sentenced to more than 10 years from contesting parliamentary seats. Since eligibility for party executive positions is linked to parliamentary eligibility, this could render Wontumi ineligible.

However, the NPP's National Elections Committee Chairman, Fredrick Opare-Ansah, has stated that the party's secretariat has no mandate to prevent anyone from obtaining nomination forms.

"Nothing stops anybody from buying a form. But I can tell you that the eligibility of aspirants is not determined by the Secretariat. It's determined by the Vetting Committee," he told Eyewitness News on August 21.

Wontumi is not running unopposed. Five aspirants have picked forms for the National Chairman position, including former National Chairman Paul Awentami Afoko, former General Secretary John Boadu, former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, and Sammy Crabbe.

Afoko is expected to file his completed forms on Tuesday, August 25, running on a "3R Agenda" — Reunite, Rebuild and Recapture.

The filing of completed nomination forms will close on Saturday, August 29, 2026, following a two-day extension by the party's National Officers Elections Committee.

Vetting of aspirants is scheduled for August 31 to September 3, during which the Vetting Committee will determine the eligibility of all candidates. The final decision on whether Wontumi can contest will be made at that stage.

The national delegates' election is scheduled for October 3, 2026.