NPP urges President Mahama to rescind Emelia Agbenyo’s EC appointment

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) have led calls for President John Mahama to withdraw the appointment of Emelia Afi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC). The backlash follows the swearing-in of Agbenyo and Dr. Joseph Kwaku Asamoah on October 12, with critics alleging that Agbenyo’s history of partisan activism compromises the Commission’s neutrality. The NPP has expressed deep concern over the appointment, citing her past role as a spokesperson for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and her active participation in party campaign rallies.

CODEO has specifically called for Agbenyo to honorably resign to protect public confidence in the EC, noting her involvement in the NDC’s 2024 manifesto committee. The observer group emphasized that her visible partisan engagement during the last election cycle makes her unsuitable for a role that requires perceived and actual impartiality. Kamal-Deen Abdulai, a member of the NPP communications team, further criticized the move, warning that the party would seek her removal if they win power in 2028, arguing that the EC should not become a platform for partisan representation.

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) also voiced disappointment through its Bono Regional Chairman, Ali Dayinday, who argued that both major political parties are increasingly undermining the EC’s independence. The CPP is calling for urgent constitutional reforms to shift the appointment process toward a merit-based system, which they believe is essential to safeguard the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process from political interference. Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jr. echoed these concerns, questioning the wisdom of appointing a known party affiliate to such a sensitive constitutional office.

Defending the appointments, the NDC and government officials have characterized the move as a necessary step toward balancing the Commission. Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu stated that the appointments were intended to correct a political imbalance created by the previous New Patriotic Party administration. Additionally, Dr. Kwesi Djokoto of the NDC communications team dismissed the NPP’s protests as hypocritical, pointing to the opposition’s own history of making political appointments. Despite these defenses, the NPP has pledged to pursue all lawful avenues to ensure the EC remains a credible and independent arbiter of elections.