The GHC50 million bail placed on New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has evolved into a rallying point for prominent figures within the party, each of whom is eyeing the NPP’s 2028 flagbearer slot.
Chairman Wontumi was arrested on Tuesday, May 27, by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and later transferred to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Although he was granted bail on Wednesday, May 28, he remained in custody for days due to stringent conditions, drawing political backlash and sparking party-wide reactions.
On Thursday, May 29, Minority Members of Parliament staged a dramatic protest from Parliament to EOCO’s headquarters in Accra.
Dressed in red and black, the MPs demanded Wontumi’s immediate release and criticized the bail conditions as punitive and politically motivated.
Flagbearer aspirants battle
Former Assin Central MP and 2024 flagbearer contender, Kennedy Agyapong, was the first to publicly offer support, volunteering to serve as one of the sureties to meet Wontumi’s bail.
Known for his outspokenness and grassroots appeal, Agyapong’s intervention was seen by many as a bold move to assert his continued influence within the party.
Meanwhile, 2024 flagbearer and former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, also entered the fray.
He led a delegation of NPP MPs and party leaders to visit Wontumi at EOCO but was denied access, a development that further heightened tensions.
His involvement was viewed by analysts as an effort to demonstrate loyalty to the party’s grassroots, particularly in the Ashanti Region.
In a surprising twist, legal counsel for Chairman Wontumi, Andy Appiah-Kubi, revealed on Friday, May 30, that it was former Agriculture Minister, Bryan Acheampong, who ultimately played a pivotal role in securing Wontumi’s freedom.
Acheampong provided property documentation exceeding the GHC50 million bail requirement, ensuring that all conditions set by EOCO were met.
2028 ambitions in play
All three figures—Kennedy Agyapong, Dr. Bawumia, and Bryan Acheampong, have expressed interest in leading the NPP into the 2028 elections.
Their involvement in Wontumi’s bail saga is being interpreted by many within the party as strategic positioning ahead of the party’s next leadership race.
