Cambridge Analytica is embroiled in a storm over claims it exploited the data of millions of Facebook users.

The BBC has seen a brochure published by parent company SCL Elections, it is believed prior to 2014.

It claims, for instance, that it organised rallies in Nigeria to weaken support for the opposition in 2007.

The UK Foreign Office says it was unaware of this alleged activity before SCL was awarded British government contracts in 2008.

Cambridge Analytica says it is looking into the allegations about SCL.

In the document, SCL Elections claimed potential clients could contact the company through “any British High Commission or Embassy”.

It also claims SCL received “List X” accreditation from the UK’s Ministry of Defence which provided “Government endorsed clearance to handle information protectively marked as ‘confidential’ and above”.

The brochure outlines how SCL Elections had apparently organised “anti-election rallies” to dissuade opposition supporters from voting in the Nigerian presidential election in 2007. The election was described by EU monitors as one of the least credible they had observed.

The document claims SCL Elections deliberately exploited ethnic tensions in Latvia in the 2006 national elections in order to help their client.

SCL also claims that ahead of the elections in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010, it orchestrated an “ambitious campaign of political graffiti” that “ostensibly came from the youth” so the client party could “claim credit for listening to a ‘united youth'”.

Most of the examples detailed in the brochure took place before the British government entered into at least six contracts with SCL.

The former Labour Foreign Office Minister and Cabinet minister Lord Hain has tabled a written question in the House of Lords on Monday for urgent clarification on the matter of Embassy endorsement. He told the BBC’s Sunday Politics show that the SCL case was “lifting the lid on a potential horror story” of other companies using data to manipulate voters.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed SLC were given a provisional List X accreditation but had not had it since 2013.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “It is not now nor ever has been the case that enquiries for SCL ‘can be directed through any British High Commission or Embassy’.”

“Our understanding is that, at the time of the signing of the contract for project work in 2008/9, the FCO was not aware of SCL’s reported activity during the 2006 Latvian election or 2007 Nigerian election.”

In a statement, the acting CEO of Cambridge Analytica, Dr Alexander Tayler, said “Cambridge Analytica was formed in 2013, out of a much older company called SCL Elections.

“We take the disturbing recent allegations of unethical practices in our non-US political business very seriously. The board has launched a full and independent investigation into SCL Elections’ past practices, and its findings will be made available in due course.”

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Source: BBC

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The President failed to mention which organizations conducted the polls, but said the polling results reflect the feedback from his campaign activities across the country.

Speaking on URA Radio on Wednesday morning after completing his tour of the Upper East Region, the President said he is confident that his party will win the December elections.

“I do think that we have a first chance and I am confident of victory. We have been approaching this very scientifically; we have been doing our own scientific polling and even some of the polling being done by independent people, the numbers are looking great and so I am confident that from what is being done scientifically, plus or minus any margin of error, we will make 50% plus…

“We are looking at issues of concern to people in different regions and so the campaign message is tailored to address the concerns we find in any particular region and the response we have got is very enthusiastic. Wherever we go, I have been warmly welcomed.”

His comment follows a number of online polls which gave the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, a lead over him.

There won’t be a run off

The President also expressed optimism that there will not be a run-off in this year’s elections.

“I believe that given a second term, people will see far more than we are seeing in this first term; but like I said, I am confident of victory because we will be able to achieve a first round victory.

Asked whether his party would seek the support of smaller parties in the event of a second round, President Mahama said; “It is not in my consideration, there is no event that we will be going into a second round, from what I am saying scientifically, plus or minus any margin of error, we will make 50 % plus.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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