Lawyer and New Patriotic Party (NPP) communicator Kwasi Kwarteng has questioned the basis for the decision by the campaign team of National Chairman hopeful Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, to pick nomination forms on his behalf while he remains in custody.
According to him, Wontumi’s immediate priority should be securing his freedom rather than contesting the NPP National Chairmanship race.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Kwarteng said the circumstances surrounding Wontumi’s incarceration raise questions about the purpose of picking the forms for him when his bail application is still pending.
“You have applied for bail, and it is pending, while his lawyer is also having some issues with the judiciary. So what is the basis for picking the forms for who to vote for who?” he questioned.
He argued that the fundamental effect of imprisonment is the loss of personal liberty and, therefore, Wontumi’s immediate concern should be regaining his freedom.
“Wontumi’s priority now is not to become a chairman. His biggest priority is to gain his freedom, not chairmanship.”
Mr Kwarteng questioned whether there was any established precedent that would allow a person in Wontumi’s current situation to go through the party’s vetting process, particularly if his participation would require special intervention.
“Even if your government was in power, precedent will not allow it because who are you writing a letter to allow you to go for a vetting?” he asked.
He said rather than focusing on the NPP chairmanship contest, Wontumi’s supporters should concentrate on lawful ways of helping Wontumi secure bail.
“If we have something to do for him, it is for us to pray and use the right channels to secure his bail,” he said.
Mr Kwarteng further questioned whether Wontumi himself would choose the chairmanship over his freedom if he were presented with such a choice.
“Because even if a powerful man of God comes out today to say Wontumi stands a high chance of winning the chairmanship race but has to choose between that and his freedom, do you think it will be the chairmanship? For what?”
He therefore urged the party and Wontumi’s supporters to exercise restraint in their actions and public commentary, warning that attempts to push ahead with the political contest could potentially affect the pending bail application.
“His freedom is what matters, so they should exercise restraint and not prejudice the judge to spoil his chances on the bail,” he urged.
The decision of Chairman Wontumi’s team to pick nomination forms for him last week has sparked mixed reactions, with many describing it as misplaced.
Executive Director and Head of Research at Global InfoAnalytics, Mussa Dankwah, for instance, has urged the NPP to focus on rebuilding its electoral fortunes ahead of the next general election rather than making a political statement by choosing a chairman who is serving a prison sentence.
He further claimed that the NPP has already lost significant support among elite voters and warned that the party’s current approach could make it more difficult to win back that constituency.
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