Interior Minister Contradicted Former EC Boss' Claims - CODEO

National Coordinator for Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Mr. Albert Arhin has thrown a challenge to the Electoral Commission to clear the confusion brought up by the Interior Minister, Prosper Bani on the Commission’s dealing with an IT company, Superlock Technologies Limited (STL).

According to him, it is necessary for the Electoral Commission to set the record straight on its relationship with STL as the Commission through its former boss, Dr. Afari-Gyan denied any dealing with the IT Company during the 2012 election, but a statement from the Interior Minister contradicts what Dr. Afari-Gyan said three years ago.

In the face of fresh evidence, election observation body Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), says the Electoral Commission (EC) needs to confirm or deny a claim that it contracted an IT company, Superlock Technologies Limited (STL) to transmit election results during the 2012 elections.

Interior Minister Prosper Bani last Tuesday released a statement which said the EC has contracted STL to transmit tallied elections results, although the Commission denied the allegation at least years ago when the opposition NPP raised that concern.

Due to this fresh revelation by the Interior Minister, Mr. Arhin on Okay Fm’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show has urged the EC to clear the two statements for the sake of transparency and to erase doubts in the minds of Ghanaians about the activities of the Commission.

“If no other person than the Interior Minister says that STL was the IT Company transmitting the 2012 election results, then it contradicts what Dr. Afari-Gyan said in 2012 when he was asked. It is not possible to merge the two statements; it is necessary to set the record straight on EC dealing with STL.

In December 2012, the role of STL came into sharp focus when the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) accused the Electoral Commission of secretly engaging STL for election results transmission.

The then EC Chairman, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, on December 8, 2012, dismissed the allegation.

“We wish to state emphatically that no such engagement has been made, neither is the Commission doing electronic transmission of results,” Dr. Afari-Gyan stated.

But Prosper Bani’s categorical statement has left the political observers, CODEO wondering if it was a slip as he is not an ordinary person to ignore his statement but a Cabinet Minister in the country.

He however charged Mr. Prosper Bani to explain to Ghanaians where he got his information that the Electoral Commission (EC) contracted STL to transmit the 2012 elections results.