Wontumi, EOCO Saga: I have blocked Appiah-Kubi; I won’t talk to him again – NPP’s Gary Nimako

Gary Nimako, the Director of Legal Affairs for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has revealed that he has cut ties with fellow lawyer and party member, Andy Appiah-Kubi. According to Mr. Nimako, he has blocked Appiah-Kubi’s phone number and has vowed never to speak to him again.

Mr. Nimako, who is also a legal practitioner, made this known during an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen.

He accused Mr. Appiah-Kubi, the lead counsel representing the embattled Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (popularly known as Chairman Wontumi), of betrayal.

The fallout between the two lawyers appears to stem from public remarks made by Appiah-Kubi, who claimed he had no knowledge of a variation application filed by Nimako—a legal move that reportedly disrupted the bail process for Chairman Wontumi.

“I spoke with him before applying, and he later came out to say the process had been frustrated, which was unfair. How do you throw this in the air? It is not right and fair,” Nimako said on the programme.

“I had spoken to him prior to filing, then you later say you are not aware. I have blocked his number because if I can have a meeting with you in confidence and you act this way in public, then it means I cannot talk to you again—so I have blocked his number,” he added.

The disagreement between the two lawyers comes at a time when tensions are already high within the NPP following the legal troubles facing Chairman Wontumi. The Ashanti Regional Chairman is currently being investigated by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for serious financial-related offenses. These include fraud, money laundering, and allegedly causing financial loss to the state.

Chairman Wontumi was granted bail on May 28, 2025, to the tune of GH₵50 million, with two justified sureties. However, despite meeting the bail requirements by May 30, he remained in EOCO custody due to delays in executing the release process.

In a bid to hasten his release, Mr. Gary Nimako filed a motion on Friday, May 30, asking the court to reconsider the bail terms. This motion included detailed reasons stated in an affidavit and was expected to be heard on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

Surprisingly, on Monday, June 2, 2025—just a day before the court date—Mr. Nimako withdrew the application. This withdrawal came while Chairman Wontumi was still being held by EOCO, and frustration among some NPP members continued to grow.

The internal wrangling between the party’s top legal minds adds a new twist to the ongoing legal and political drama surrounding Chairman Wontumi. With EOCO’s investigations still ongoing and NPP members publicly disagreeing on legal strategies, the party finds itself grappling with both legal and internal leadership challenges.