Ms. Emelia Affi Agbenyo must honourably resign as new EC Deputy Chairperson to protect public confidence — CODEO

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has called on Ms. Emelia Affi Agbenyo to honourably resign as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), citing her active campaigning for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 general election.

In a press statement signed by its Co-Chairs on Thursday, the coalition of more than 41 member organisations expressed strong disapproval of Ms. Agbenyo's appointment and swearing-in on October 12, 2026.

CODEO acknowledged the President's constitutional authority to make the appointment. It argued, however, that public evidence of Ms. Agbenyo's partisan engagement directly undermines public perception of the Commission's independence, impartiality and credibility.

The integrity of the EC, the coalition said, depends not only on the actual neutrality of its commissioners but on the public's absolute confidence in that neutrality.

Her 2024 campaign record
According to CODEO, the NDC named Ms. Agbenyo in August 2024 as one of its sectoral spokespersons for the party's 2024 manifesto, under the governance portfolio. Her LinkedIn profile also lists that role among her key achievements.

The coalition cited several social media posts. On September 20, 2024, she shared a Facebook video of then-NDC presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama set to the party's campaign song, with the hashtag #voteforchange2024. On October 31, 2024, she posted a photograph of Mr Mahama with the hashtags #voteJM2024 and #voteforchange2024.

On December 2, 2024, days before the election, she wrote on X that she would be voting "against a government that ridiculed the pains of the people," alongside hashtags including #VoteJohnMahama2024 and #EndTyranny.

CODEO stressed that its objection is not about Ms. Agbenyo's professional qualifications or technical competence, but about protecting the Commission's independence regardless of which party is in power.

"Consistent" position on EC appointments

CODEO said it has called for a broader consultative process for appointing EC members ever since founding Chair Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan left office. It made the same call in 2014 and 2018 over the appointments of Ms. Charlotte Osei, Mrs. Jean Mensa, Dr. Bossman Asare and Mr. Samuel Tettey, but the appointing Presidents did not heed it.

In 2023, CODEO, together with the STAR-Ghana Foundation and the Civic Forum Initiative, called for the resignation of Dr. Peter Appiahene over his alleged affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP). That appointment drew condemnation from many groups, including the NDC.

The coalition also questioned the role of the Council of State. It noted that the Constitution requires the President to appoint EC members on the Council's advice, not merely in consultation with it, yet the Council has developed no transparent process for the public to see how it performs that duty.

CODEO linked such partisan appointments to falling public trust in the Commission, which it said reached its lowest rating in 2024 according to Afrobarometer. It described the repeated failure to use the appointing power to reset the politics around the Commission as extremely disappointing and frustrating.

Mahama urged to live by his 2023 stance

CODEO reminded President Mahama that in March 2023, while in opposition, he criticised the appointment of what he called "known party activists" to the EC. He also called for Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to be amended so that new commissioners require parliamentary approval.

The coalition said those concerns now apply directly to appointments made under his own administration, and the principles he advocated must be applied consistently in government.

The coalition called on Ms. Agbenyo to honourably resign to protect public confidence in the Commission's impartiality and credibility. It also urged President Mahama to ask her to step down, to show that the principles he advocated in opposition still apply under his own administration.

CODEO further called on the Government to advance reforms that make future EC appointments transparent, merit-based and acceptable across the political divide. It asked the Council of State to urgently develop processes that let citizens see how it discharges its responsibilities.

Renewed push for appointment reforms
CODEO reiterated its call to reform how EC leaders are appointed. It noted that the Constitutional Review Committee had recommended an open, competitive and merit-based process involving a reformed Council of State, the Public Services Commission and prior parliamentary approval.

The Government's Position Paper, however, rejected those changes, while indicating that the President could adopt transparent, merit-based procedures on his own.

The coalition urged the Government to reconsider and introduce independent scrutiny, clear selection criteria and meaningful parliamentary oversight, so that concerns about partisan influence are addressed before appointments are made rather than after controversies arise.

The independence of the EC, CODEO concluded, must be protected not only by the Constitution but by a clear commitment from the political class to an impartial electoral body.