“Will NPP’s 2028 Campaign Message Be That Anyone Convicted From the Party Will Be Pardoned?”– Barker

Lawyer and social activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor has questioned whether the New Patriotic Party intends to campaign on promises of presidential pardons for members convicted of criminal offences.

Barker-Vormawor raised the issue in a Facebook post while reacting to public discussion about the possibility of granting clemency to NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, widely known as Chairman Wontumi, following his conviction in an illegal mining case.

The debate gained momentum after reports that an aspiring NPP Ashanti Regional Vice-Chairperson suggested during a Joy FM interview that Wontumi could be pardoned if the party won the 2028 general elections.

The reported suggestion attracted criticism and prompted questions about whether political parties should discuss potential presidential pardons while court convictions remain a matter of public concern.

In his reaction, Barker-Vormawor questioned whether the NPP would ask voters to support the party on the basis that its convicted members would be pardoned if it returned to power.

“Will NPP’s campaign message in 2028 be that anybody of their party convicted by any court; in every matter will be pardoned? So vote for us? Hmm,” he stated.

The comments have fuelled debate among Ghanaians about the President’s constitutional authority to grant pardons and the possible political implications of promising clemency to convicted party members.

The issue has also brought renewed focus to judicial independence, the rule of law and the separation of powers. As political discussions surrounding the case continue, the question of how presidential pardons should be treated in electoral campaigns remains contentious.

Source: Osgyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor Official Facebook page.

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