By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, Oct. 20, GNA – The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), comprising more than 41 member-organisations, has expressed strong disapproval of the appointment and swearing-in of Madam Emelia Affi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) on October 12, 2026.
In a statement, CODEO said although it recognised the President’s constitutional authority to make appointments, public evidence of Madam Agbenyo’s active involvement in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 election campaign undermined public perception of the independence, impartiality and institutional credibility of the Commission.
The Coalition said as a key stakeholder in Ghana’s democratic process, it believed the integrity of the EC depended not only on the actual neutrality of its commissioners but also on public confidence in that neutrality.
CODEO said the NDC, in August 2024, publicly announced Madam Agbenyo as one of its sectoral spokespersons for the party’s election manifesto under the governance portfolio.
The statement said Madam Agbenyo had also listed the role as one of her key achievements on her LinkedIn profile.
CODEO further cited a series of social media posts by Madam Agbenyo during the 2024 election campaign as evidence of her partisan political engagement.
It said on September 20, 2024, she posted a video on Facebook featuring the then NDC Presidential Candidate with campaign-related hashtags, while another post on October 31, 2024, carried a photograph of the candidate and a caption advocating political change.
The Coalition also referred to a post made on X on December 2, 2024, in which Madam Agbenyo stated her intention to vote against the then governing administration and called for change, accompanied by campaign-related hashtags.
CODEO recalled that since the departure of Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan as Chairperson of the EC, it had consistently advocated a broader consultative process for appointing commissioners beyond the requirements of Article 70(2) of the 1992 Constitution.
It noted that similar concerns had been raised in relation to the appointments of Mrs Charlotte Osei in 2014 and later Mrs Jean Mensa, Dr Bossman Asare and Mr Samuel Tetteh in 2018.
The statement said in 2023, together with STAR-Ghana Foundation and the Civic Forum Initiative (CFI), CODEO called for the resignation of Dr Peter Appiahene over alleged partisan affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The Coalition said concerns surrounding Dr Appiahene’s appointment drew criticism from several groups, including the NDC, prompting then opposition leader John Dramani Mahama to call for reforms in the appointment process.
CODEO said the appointment of another EC official with a known partisan background also raised questions about the role of the Council of State.
“In the unique case of the appointment of members of the EC, the Constitution requires the President to appoint on the advice of the Council of State and not in consultation with,” the statement said.
CODEO argued that the Council of State’s failure to adopt transparent processes for the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities signalled weaknesses in the existing constitutional framework.
The Coalition stressed that its concerns about Madam Agbenyo’s appointment were not related to her professional qualifications or competence, but rather to the need to preserve public confidence in the EC’s independence and impartiality.
It noted that repeated concerns about perceptions of bias involving members of the Commission had contributed to declining levels of public trust in the EC.
CODEO described the continued failure to use presidential appointment powers to depoliticise appointments to the Commission as disappointing and frustrating.
The statement recalled that in March 2023, President Mahama, then in opposition, criticised the appointment of persons he described as known party activists to the EC and called for constitutional reforms requiring parliamentary approval of new commissioners.
It said the concerns raised by the President at the time remained relevant and should be applied consistently under his administration.
CODEO therefore called on Madam Agbenyo to resign honourably in the interest of protecting public confidence in the Commission’s impartiality and credibility.
It also called on President Mahama to demonstrate consistency with his earlier position by urging her to step down.
The Coalition further urged the Government to pursue reforms that would strengthen the independence of the EC by ensuring that future appointments were transparent, merit-based and capable of commanding broad public confidence.
It also called on the Council of State to develop mechanisms that would enable citizens to access information on how it discharged its constitutional mandate.
CODEO reiterated its support for reforms proposed by the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC), including an open, competitive and merit-based appointment process involving a reformed Council of State, the Public Services Commission and prior parliamentary approval.
The statement urged the Government to reconsider its position on the matter and adopt measures that would introduce independent scrutiny, transparent selection criteria and meaningful parliamentary oversight of appointments to the Commission.
According to CODEO, such reforms would help address concerns about actual or perceived partisan influence before appointments were made rather than after controversies emerged.
It stressed that the independence of the EC must be safeguarded not only through constitutional provisions but also through a demonstrated commitment by the political class to maintain an impartial electoral management body.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Iddi Yire