The Campaign Secretariat of Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has defended his decision to swear in some newly elected constituency executives, insisting that he acted in accordance with the party's election guidelines and not in defiance of the national leadership.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Secretariat said the swearing-in followed constituency executive elections conducted under the NPP's approved election framework and supervised by the Electoral Commission in collaboration with the Constituency Elections Committee.

According to the statement, the elections were conducted within a framework involving representatives appointed by both the National and Regional Steering Committees, and were therefore not a unilateral exercise by the Ashanti Regional leadership.

The Secretariat maintained that when Chairman Wontumi administered the oath of office to the elected executives, no official communication had been received indicating that the election results had been annulled.

It argued that the swearing-in was simply an administrative step following the completion of a duly conducted electoral process and was not intended to undermine the authority of the party's national leadership.

The statement, however, questioned the constitutional and legal basis for the National Steering Committee's decision to annul the results of constituency elections in parts of the Ashanti Region.

It asked under which provision of the party's constitution or the 2026 Election Regulations the committee derived the authority to set aside completed elections, what evidence supported the decision, whether affected officers and candidates were given a hearing, and whether any court injunctions informed the annulment.

The Secretariat said these were legitimate questions intended to promote transparency, accountability and adherence to the party's constitution rather than acts of defiance.

It further argued that although the National Steering Committee has supervisory responsibilities over the electoral process, decisions of such significance should be based on clear constitutional authority, established facts and procedural fairness.