The New Patriotic Party is set to vet forty-seven aspirants who have successfully filed their nominations to contest the party’s 2026 National Officers Elections from Monday, August 31. The vetting exercise is expected to end on Thursday, September 3.

The filing process was closed on Saturday, August 29, paving way for the vetting stage.

Fifty (50) individuals had earlier expressed interest in the contesting the election, however, three of them dropped out for not complete filing process.

With Evans Kodom bowing out of the National Communications Director contest, Dennis Miracles Aboagye is now the only candidate in the race, subject to vetting.

Perpetual Ekua Lomokie Akwada will also not be vetted for National Women Organiser after failing to submit her forms on time despite purchasing them.

Meanwhile, Former Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako officially pulled out of the contest fo the National Chairman days after filing.

According to him, consultations with his family, legal team, party elders, campaign team and trusted supporters played a major role in this development.

He further added that, participating in the election could hinder the NPP’s chances of winning the 2028 general elections.

“After many nights of prayer, sober reflection and consultations with my family, legal team, party elders, campaign team and trusted supporters, I have come to the difficult conclusion that my present circumstances must not become an additional burden on the New Patriotic Party.

“That is why I cannot allow my present situation or personal ambition to distract the party from the difficult work of rebuilding,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman Wontumi has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on each of the two counts after the High Court in Accra found him guilty in the Akonta Mining illegal mining case on Monday, July 20.

The two prison terms will run concurrently. Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay convicted Wontumi on Counts One and Four, while Akonta Mining Limited was convicted on Counts Three and Six.

Additionally, he was fined 10,000 penalty units on each count. Before the verdict, the defence filed a last-minute application seeking to delay the judgment and refer constitutional questions to the Supreme Court.

In April, his bid to halt the ongoing criminal proceedings in the alleged Samreboi illegal mining case was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay delivered the ruling on Tuesday, April 21.

Last year, the court adjourned two related cases involving Wontumi. In the first case, which concerns allegations that he permitted mining activities on his concession at Samreboi without the required approval, proceedings were adjourned to November 12.

The second case, in which he is accused of conducting mining operations in the Tano Nimire Forest Reserve without authorisation, was also adjourned to December 4 because the presiding judge was on leave.

The adjournment followed a request by the prosecution to serve the defence with the required disclosures.

Wontumi has been accused of facilitating illegal mining by allowing individuals to operate on the Samreboi concession without the required licence. His lawyer has maintained that there is no evidence to support the illegal mining charges brought against his client.

NPP responds to Wontumi’s sentence

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) strongly criticised the government following the 20-year jail sentence handed to its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, describing the conviction as a “travesty of justice” and insisting that it will challenge the ruling through the appellate process.

In a statement issued after the High Court's judgment, the party said it respected the authority of the judiciary but could not remain silent in the face of what it believes is a fundamentally flawed decision.

According to the NPP, the prosecution failed to provide evidence to support the offence for which Chairman Wontumi was convicted, arguing that his acquisition of the mineral concession in question was lawful and never disputed during the trial.

The party claimed that the Mahama administration may seek to portray the conviction as evidence of its commitment to the fight against illegal mining but rejected such a narrative.

“This is no trophy,” the NPP declared, arguing that Ghanaians would question why similar urgency had not been demonstrated in addressing allegations involving individuals linked to the governing party.