The campaign team of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, is yet to decide whether to continue with his bid for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) national chairmanship race following his recent jail sentence.

Former New Edubiase Member of Parliament, George Oduro, who disclosed this, said the team will first engage the NPP General Secretary and other stakeholders to determine the way forward for the campaign.

Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Oduro, who is also the Campaign Manager, said the team cannot immediately announce whether it will suspend or continue the campaign until the necessary consultations have been completed.

“We cannot say we will stop the campaign or not. We have to engage the NPP General Secretary and ask that if something like this happens to an aspirant, what are the arrangements?” he said.

He explained that he would personally visit Chairman Wontumi at the Nsawam Prison to discuss the matter with him and seek his views on the future of the campaign.

“I will visit Wontumi at Nsawam today and have that discussion with him,” Mr Oduro added.

According to him, the team expects to conclude consultations within a week and communicate its decision to party supporters and the general public.

“In about a week, we hope to complete all necessary discussions and announce our decision,” he stated.

Chairman Wontumi and his company, Akonta Mining Limited, were convicted by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay on two counts each under the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703), as amended, and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.

However, the NPP has argued that the High Court erred by delivering the judgment in the absence of Wontumi’s lead counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, who had informed the court that he would be outside the jurisdiction due to a prior professional engagement.

Describing Wontumi as a political prisoner, the party has urged his legal team to pursue all available legal remedies, including an appeal and an application for certiorari, while assuring NPP supporters in the Ashanti Region and beyond that it would continue to challenge the conviction through constitutional means.