● BREAKING • HOWEDEY.COM

CODEO Rejects Emelia Affi Agbenyo Appointment As EC Deputy

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has expressed strong disapproval of the appointment of Ms. Emelia Affi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, citing concerns about perceived partisanship and its implications for public confidence in the Commission’s independence. The Coalition, which comprises over 41 member organisations, said her appointment and swearing-in on October 12, 2026, directly compromises public perception of the EC’s impartiality.

While CODEO acknowledges the President’s constitutional authority under Article 70(2) to appoint members of the Electoral Commission on the advice of the Council of State, it insists that the integrity of the EC depends not only on actual neutrality but on the public’s absolute confidence in that neutrality. According to the coalition, public evidence of Ms. Agbenyo’s active political engagement with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 general election campaign undermines that confidence at a time when citizen trust in the EC is at its lowest, according to Afrobarometer 2024 findings.

CODEO cited documented political engagement as the basis for its objection. In August 2024, the NDC publicly announced Ms. Agbenyo as one of its sectoral spokespersons for the party’s 2024 election manifesto under the governance portfolio, a role she also listed on her LinkedIn profile. The coalition also referenced her social media activity, including a September 20, 2024 Facebook post featuring then NDC presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama with campaign hashtags, and an October 31, 2024 post sharing a photo of Mr. Mahama with the caption urging Ghanaians to vote for change and reset the nation on the path of thriving democracy.

The coalition clarified that its concerns are not about Ms. Agbenyo’s professional qualifications or technical competence. Rather, it argued that perceived bias severely affects citizen trust. CODEO said it had previously raised similar concerns over appointments including Charlotte Osei, Jean Mensa, Dr. Bossman Asare, Samuel Tettey and Dr. Peter Appiahene without adequate response. It questioned the role of the Council of State, arguing that the absence of a transparent mechanism for assessing how it discharges its constitutional responsibilities undermines public accountability.

Cream College – Top-Drawer Certification

Consequently, CODEO is calling for her honourable resignation and urging President John Dramani Mahama to ask her to step down in line with principles he advocated while in opposition. In March 2023, then candidate Mahama criticised the appointment of persons described as known party activists to the EC and called for an amendment of Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to require parliamentary approval of new Commissioners. Beyond this case, CODEO is demanding urgent structural reforms to ensure transparent, merit-based appointments that safeguard the independence and credibility of the Electoral Commission, including a broadly consultative and publicly accountable selection process.

📲 Call or WhatsApp +233 20 2190 250 and share your story
Author: Stella Sunu • Published on Howedey.com

Tap button to open WhatsApp instantly

Scan QR to read more on howedey.com