NDC gave Charlotte Osei $6m as 'thank you money' before 2016 elections - EC official alleges

A leaked audio making rounds on social media has shed more light on the tenuous term of Charlotte Osei as EC Chairperson. A woman believed to be a member of the EC is heard recounting how Charlotte Osei's time as the boss had divided the EC into two factions, one for her and one against her.

She went further to list the many breaches on the part of Charlotte Osei which led to the petition for her removal. Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa have eventually been removed from office.

The confusion and in-fighting at the Electoral Commission during the time of Charlotte Osei as the Chairperson has been purportedly confirmed by one of the commissioners.

In a leaked audio making rounds on social media which YEN.com.gh, a female voice believed to be that of Mrs Pauline Adobea Dzadzawa revealed how the removal proceedings against Mrs Charlotte Osei started.

According to the voice in the leaked audio, Charlotte Osei, being a woman, initially received overwhelmingly support from other members most of whom were women but her conduct thereafter divided the seven-member commission into two factions.

While Charlotte Osei had Rebecca Kabukie Adjalo and Hajia Sa-Adatu Maida supporting her, the other members, Amadu Sulley, Georgina Opoku Amankwaa, Ebenezer Aggrey Fynn, Pauline Dzadzawa were against her.

Key among the many the allegations levelled against Mrs Osei in the audio is the use of GH¢250,000 to decorate her office many other procurement breaches. Also, Mrs Osei is alleged to have taken $6 million from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) before the 2016 general elections as a 'thank you' gift for the commission but she pocketed it.

Explaining what the money was actually for, the female voice stated that"...normally whichever government is in power, not necessarily before elections, it can even be after elections, they come and say thank you, Kufuor did it, small, normally it is not much."

"So this one, you know NDC people they are more generous when it comes to that, as for NPP people they are mean when it comes to that. According to sources, they gave Felix Ofosu Kwakye $12 million to come and give to the Commission [to be shared among seven Commission members and staff of the EC].



"When Ofosu Kwakye, according to sources, also sensed that they are likely to lose, he took half of the money and went and gave …half $6 million and he took everything." The accuser further went on to disclose how Charlotte Osei tried to stall the declaration of the 2016 election results in order to try and force a run-off for John Mahama and the NDC even though it was clear that Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP had won.

Judging from the audio, the EC commissioner was speaking to a journalist in a private conversation before the actual petition against Charlotte Osei was filed. The petition has eventually led to the removal of Charlotte Osei and her deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwaa.