The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has expressed concern over the appointment of Emelia Affi Agbenyo, a known activist of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as Deputy Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC).
The criticism follows her appointment and swearing-in by President John Dramani Mahama on October 12, 2026, alongside Joseph Kwaku Asamoah, who was also appointed Deputy Chairperson of the Commission.
During the swearing-in ceremony, President Mahama urged the newly appointed officials to discharge their constitutional responsibilities independently, firmly and impartially. He stressed that neither he nor his administration should receive preferential treatment from the Electoral Commission.
The President further directed the commissioners to apply the law equally to all political parties and candidates, regardless of their political affiliations.
However, CODEO has argued that Ms Agbenyo’s political associations could undermine public confidence in the independence and neutrality of the electoral management body.
In a statement, the coalition clarified that its concerns were not about her professional qualifications or technical competence, but about the need to protect the Electoral Commission’s credibility and ensure that its leadership is perceived as politically impartial.
CODEO noted that public confidence in the Commission had suffered significantly over the years, citing Afrobarometer findings that reportedly showed citizen trust in the institution reaching its lowest level in 2024.
The coalition expressed disappointment that successive appointments had failed to address concerns about perceived political influence within the Commission. It maintained that the President’s constitutional appointment powers should be exercised in a manner that strengthens public trust in the electoral process.
CODEO also recalled President Mahama’s position in March 2023, when he was in opposition. At the time, he criticised the appointment of individuals he described as known political party activists to the Electoral Commission and called for an amendment to Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to require parliamentary approval for new commissioners.
According to CODEO, the President’s earlier position remains relevant to the current situation, arguing that the same principles he advocated while in opposition should guide appointments under his administration.
The coalition maintained that safeguarding the independence of the Electoral Commission requires consistent standards, irrespective of which political party is in power.
CODEO further cited Ms Agbenyo’s publicly documented political activities during the 2024 general election campaign as the basis for its concerns.
In August 2024, the NDC reportedly listed her among its sectoral spokespersons for the party’s election manifesto under the governance portfolio. Her LinkedIn profile also identified her as a spokesperson for the governance sector during the NDC campaign.
Additionally, CODEO referred to a Facebook post she made on September 20, 2024, featuring then NDC presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama, accompanied by the party’s campaign song, Asempa by NACEE, and the hashtags #a_democracy_to_salvage and #voteforchange2024.
CODEO argued that such political associations could raise questions about the Commission’s perceived neutrality, even if its members perform their duties impartially.
The coalition has therefore called for the reconsideration of Ms Agbenyo’s appointment and urged the government to introduce structural reforms to strengthen the independence of the Electoral Commission and restore public confidence in the institution.
