The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) National Elections Committee, Fredrick Opare-Ansah, has clarified that Bernard Antwi Boasiako, familiarly known as Chairman Wontumi and currently incarcerated, remains free to pick up a nomination form for the party’s 2026 national elections.
Speaking to the media on August 21, 2026, Mr. Opare-Ansah addressed reports that Chairman Wontumi had obtained a form to contest a national executive position. He emphasized that the Secretariat has no mandate to prevent any person from acquiring nomination forms, regardless of their current circumstances.
“Nothing stops anybody from buying a form,” he said. “But I can tell you that the eligibility of aspirants is not determined by the Secretariat. It’s determined by the Vetting Committee.”
Mr. Opare-Ansah explained that anyone interested in contesting can access the forms online or in person and submit them for consideration. However, he was quick to point out that picking up a form does not guarantee a spot on the ballot.
“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 stated.
He added that he was still awaiting the Secretariat’s final report to confirm if Chairman Wontumi had indeed picked up a form, noting, “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.”
The NPP has also extended the deadline for filing completed nomination forms by two days, shifting the closing date from Thursday, August 27, to Saturday, August 29, 2026. The extension aims to give prospective aspirants more time to complete the process, reflecting the strong interest in the upcoming elections.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com