Charlotte Osei's dismissal: Gordon Asare Bediako 'reveals' how it was allegedly planned by NPP

It has emerged that elements of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) together with some people at the presidency allegedly planned the removal of the three electoral commissioners over a year ago.

This was contained in an audio conversation available to US-based Ghanaian journalist, Kevin Ekow Baidoo Taylor and cited by GhanaWeb. The audio conversation was allegedly between Gordon Asare Bediako, the Editor of ABC News/ journalist with the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Yiadom Kessie, MMT Consultant and Bennett Aboagye, Former Metro Mass Transit (MMT) Boss.

In the ‘not too clear’ nine minutes and 13 seconds audio which was recorded on February 22, 2018, Gordon is allegedly heard explaining to the two gentlemen the kind of stories he can publish using his outfit to ensure the dismissal of the former EC Boss, Charlotte Osei.

“I need just 20 per cent to publish it but unless they bring it to me… One of the commissioners just called me...not Aggrey-Fynn but one of the women at EC...,” Gordon said allegedly to the gentlemen.

He allegedly added that if not for the toughness of the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, this matter would have been rubbished a long time ago.

“When we met, I told them they should write a petition...Presidency should also tell her to get other people to write a petition against Georgina Opoku Amankwa...Presidency wrote the said petition...Yes! I am telling you this,” Gordon allegedly stressed.

He explained there was a petition against Charlotte Osei which was very controversial therefore there was a suggestion that there should be another petition against Georgina Opoku Amankwa, “so that in case they are sinking, they sink together.”

One of the men alleged to be Yiadom Kessie, before they departed the conversation, asked for Gordon’s contact and he willingly mentioned “02446762...”

Mr Kessie later told Gordon Asare Bediako who is currently reading Law at the University of London that he "will be willing to help me pay some of his fees" so if he is in need of anything, he can contact him.

“I received GHC1, 000 sometime in October, I called the person who sent it and he said for the work we did… Since the NPP won the elections, they have neglected us...they don’t recognise anybody,” disturbed Gordon Asare Bediako is captured to have said.

Background

It has been over a year since the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei together with her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa were sacked by the NPP administration based on some allegations.

The removal, however, was based on findings of a committee which investigated allegations of corruption levelled against the trio.

Some concerned workers of the Electoral Commission in July 2017 petitioned the President and the Chief Justice to begin impeachment processes against the Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei.

They accused Mrs Osei of taking unilateral decisions without recourse to the appropriate departments of the EC, even her deputies.

The group also accused the EC Chair of engaging in fraudulent activities, citing her decision to cancel a contract awarded to Superlock Technologies Limited (STL) to supply and manage Biometric Voter Registration machines (BVRs) and the Biometric Voter Devices (BVDs), as well as her directive for the payment of $76,000 to IT firm Dream Oval.

Following that, a counter-argument ensued between Mrs Osei and her two deputies that portrayed that all was not well between the three topmost commissioners at the EC.

A counter-petition was also filed for the removal of the two other commissioners, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa. After about a year of investigations, the Chief Justice's Committee handed over its report to the presidency.

A statement signed and issued by the then Minister of Information, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid said: "The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has, on Thursday, 28th June, 2018, removed from office the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei, and her two deputies, Mr Amadu Sulley and Ms Georgina Opoku Amankwah, with immediate effect."