CODEO Condemns Partisan Appointment to Electoral Commission, Calls for Immediate Reconsideration

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has expressed strong disapproval of the appointment and swearing-in of Ms Emelia Affi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission on 12 October 2026, citing her publicly documented political engagement with the National Democratic Congress during the 2024 general election campaign.

CODEO, which comprises over 41 member organisations, recognises the President’s constitutional authority over appointments but maintains that Ms Agbenyo’s active political involvement with the NDC compromises the public perception of the independence, impartiality and institutional credibility of the Electoral Commission.

As a primary stakeholder in Ghana’s democratic process, CODEO asserts that the integrity of the Electoral Commission depends not only on the actual neutrality of its commissioners but on the public’s absolute confidence in that neutrality.

Publicly Documented Political Engagement

In August 2024, the NDC publicly announced Ms Emelia Affi Agbenyo among its sectoral spokespersons for the party’s 2024 election manifesto under the governance portfolio. In her LinkedIn bio, she confirmed her role as a spokesperson for the Governance Sector during the NDC campaign.

Her partisan political activities were also evident online. On 20 September 2024, she posted a video on her Facebook page featuring the then NDC presidential candidate, accompanied by the party’s campaign song and the hashtags #a_democracy_to_salvage and #voteforchange2024. On 31 October 2024, she posted a photograph of John Dramani Mahama with the caption: “To salvage our democracy, to restore good governance, reset our nation on the path of thriving democracy,” using hashtags including #voteJM2024 and #voteforchange2024.

On 2 December 2024, she published a post on her X account stating: “I will be voting against a government that ridiculed the pains of the people. Imposing a nuisance levy on citizens is not a thing to celebrate. Governance is no joke, citizens are not your enemies,” accompanied by hashtags such as #salvageourdemocracy, #voteforchange2024, #VoteJohnMahama2024 and #EndTyranny.

CODEO’s Consistent Position

CODEO has consistently called for a broader consultative process in the appointment of Electoral Commission members beyond the dictates of Article 70(2) of the 1992 Constitution. The Coalition previously raised similar concerns over appointments of Ms Charlotte Osei, Mrs Jean Mensah, Dr Bossman Asare and Mr Samuel Tettey, as well as the appointment of Dr Peter Appiahene.

The concerns surrounding Ms Agbenyo’s appointment are not about her professional qualification or technical competence. Rather, they reflect CODEO’s consistent principle that the independence and credibility of the Electoral Commission must be protected, and its leadership must inspire public confidence in its impartiality, regardless of which political party is in government.

CODEO’s Call

In view of the documented political engagement of Ms Emelia Affi Agbenyo, CODEO:

Calls on Ms Emelia Affi Agbenyo to honourably resign as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission in the interest of protecting public confidence in the Commission’s impartiality and institutional credibility.

Calls on President John Dramani Mahama to demonstrate consistency with his previously stated position by urging Ms Agbenyo to resign. The President must demonstrate that the principles he advocated in opposition remain applicable under his own administration.

Calls on the Government to advance reforms that strengthen the independence of the Electoral Commission, ensuring that future appointments are transparent, merit-based and capable of commanding confidence across the political divide.

Calls on the Council of State to urgently take steps to develop processes for citizens to obtain information about how it discharges its national responsibility credibly, to engender trust amongst citizens.

CODEO reiterates its call for reforms to the appointment process for the leadership of the Electoral Commission. The Constitutional Review Committee recommended an open, competitive and merit-based process involving a reformed Council of State, the Public Services Commission and prior parliamentary approval. However, the Government’s Position Paper rejected the proposed changes.

The Coalition urges the Government to reconsider its position and pursue reforms that introduce independent scrutiny, transparent selection criteria and meaningful parliamentary oversight. Such safeguards would help address concerns about actual or perceived partisan influence before appointments are made, rather than after controversies arise.

The independence of the Electoral Commission must be protected not only by constitutional provisions but also by a clear commitment of the political class to an independent and impartial electoral management body.

The statement was signed by the Co-Chairs of CODEO on 15 October 2026.