Former Presidential Spokesperson Koku Anyidoho has alleged that Presidential debates organiser IEA set a trap for the late President John Mills in 2008.

According to him, the policy think-tank capitalized on rumours at the time that, the late President had a poor eyesight, and decided to hold their debate at an unfavorable venue.

“Do you know where IEA held the Presidential Debate in 2008... they chose to organize the debate at a basement at the Alisa Hotel in Accra. Apart from that 2008 debate, the IEA has not held any of the Presidential debates there again.

“At that basement the stairs to the platform was so steep, if you recall…at that time there were rumours that President Mills was blind in one eye, and the programme was held around 8:00pm.

“I was always with President Mills at that time, descending down that stairs was not easy at all, and that was deliberate on the part of the IEA, so that he’ll tumble and fall, of course you’ll tell me that he was not the only one who attended that event, but a trap was set for him, but God being on his side he escaped. Some of the issues that we have with the IEA are so deep when we start talking someone will say we’re bitter, it’s not bitterness...facts are facts,” angry Anyidoho told Accra-based Okay FM Friday.

The claim comes on the back of the controversy regarding who has the competences and the right to organise this year’s presidential debate.

The NCCE and the IEA are caught in a row over who can best hold the debate.