The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has indicated that the incarceration of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, does not prevent him from obtaining nomination forms to contest the party’s 2026 national elections.
Chairman of the NPP National Elections Committee, Fredrick Opare-Ansah, said the party’s Secretariat is not mandated to block any member who expresses interest in the upcoming elections from acquiring nomination forms.
He stressed, however, that obtaining a nomination form does not guarantee an aspirant the right to contest, as all candidates must go through the party’s vetting process.
Mr Opare-Ansah made the clarification in an interview with Citi News on Friday, August 21, 2026, following reports that a campaign team linked to Chairman Wontumi had picked nomination forms on his behalf.
“Nothing stops anybody from buying a form,” he said.
According to him, any concerns regarding an aspirant’s eligibility would be addressed when the individual appears before the Vetting Committee.
“It is only when you appear before the Vetting Committee that if there is any reason why you cannot be cleared to contest, then that will come up,” he explained.
The Elections Committee chairman further noted that nomination forms are available online, allowing prospective candidates to download and submit them through the approved process.
He said the Secretariat had provided preliminary figures on the number of forms obtained but was still awaiting the final report detailing the names of individuals who had picked forms across the various categories.
“I’ve gotten the statistics of how many people picked up forms today, and the breakdown: the Chairman category, the Vice-Chair category. I’m yet to receive the end-of-the-day report, which will tell me exactly which persons picked up forms,” he said.
NPP Extends Filing Deadline
The development comes as the NPP has extended the deadline for the submission of completed nomination forms for the 2026 national elections.
The original deadline of Thursday, August 27, has been pushed to Saturday, August 29, 2026.
The party explained that the two-day extension was intended to provide aspirants with additional time to complete their nomination and filing requirements.
The extension could give prospective candidates, including those whose eligibility may require further consideration, additional time to finalise their documentation ahead of the vetting stage.
While Chairman Wontumi may therefore acquire and submit nomination forms, his ultimate participation in the election will depend on the outcome of the NPP’s formal vetting and clearance process.
