Deputy Director of Elections and IT of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Rashid Tanko Computer, has criticised the decision by Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to pursue the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) National Chairmanship position while serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Mr Tanko described the development as a demonstration of what he considers lawlessness within the NPP, questioning how a person serving a lengthy custodial sentence can seek to lead a political party.

His comments on Joy FM's Top Story come after Mr Boasiako’s campaign team picked up nomination forms on his behalf for the NPP National Chairmanship contest.

The development was confirmed by Ewuradwoa Coleman, Communications Director of the Wontumi campaign team, who said the team remained committed to his bid for the position.

Mr Boasiako, who is currently the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment following his conviction by the Accra High Court over offences connected to illegal mining activities at the Samreboi concession in the Western Region.

He has appealed against his conviction and sentence and is pursuing bail pending the determination of the appeal.

The NPP’s 2025 amended and ratified Constitution contains a specific provision dealing with the eligibility of members who have been convicted or sentenced by a court.

Article 3, under “Disqualification of a Member,” states that a member is disqualified from holding any office or contesting any election in the party if the member has been convicted and/or sentenced by a court of competent jurisdiction for certain offences.

Importantly, Article 3(5)(1)(b)(ii) provides that a member is disqualified where the offence is punishable by death or by a sentence of not less than 10 years, unless 10 years have elapsed after the member served the sentence or the member has been granted a full pardon.

The same provision also disqualifies a member who has been convicted and/or sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty, fraud or moral turpitude, among other categories of offences. It further states that a member who is not in good standing is disqualified from holding office or contesting an election.

The constitutional provision is significant in Mr Boasiako’s case because the sentence imposed on him is 20 years — well above the 10-year threshold specified by the party’s own rules.

On the face of the 2025 constitutional provision, therefore, his current conviction and sentence raise a direct eligibility question that the NPP’s electoral authorities would have to resolve before allowing his candidature to proceed.