Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a prominent figure in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), issued a public apology to Charlotte Osei, former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, for spreading false information regarding her involvement in the acquisition of state-owned land. The apology was issued on September 12, 2024, after Osei reached out to Otchere-Darko privately to correct the erroneous claims.

The issue arose when Otchere-Darko had previously implied that Charlotte Osei had benefited from state land, alleging that her property, situated near the Asaase Broadcasting building, was acquired by displacing a public servant. This claim was linked to a broader dispute involving Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, over property transactions in the area.

In response to these allegations, Charlotte Osei took to social media to deny any involvement in state land deals. She clarified that her property was purchased legally and privately in 2007 from an individual named Berchie, long before she was appointed as the Electoral Commission Chair in 2015. Osei expressed disappointment over the misleading statements and called on Otchere-Darko to correct the misinformation or face legal consequences.

Otchere-Darko acknowledged the mistake in his statement and retracted his earlier comments. In his apology, he admitted that his claims were inaccurate, apologized for the misinformation, and clarified the circumstances surrounding the purchase of Osei’s property. He emphasized that the land was not obtained through any state transaction but rather through a legitimate private deal.

This incident attracted attention due to the political profiles of both parties involved and highlighted the sensitivity of land ownership and public allegations in Ghana’s political discourse