Senyo Hosi has called on Electoral Commission of Ghana Deputy Chairperson Emelia Affi Agbenyo to resign, arguing that her previous political involvement as a National Democratic Congress (NDC) activist undermines confidence in the commission’s independence.
Speaking on Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, October 17, the economic policy analyst said President John Dramani Mahama’s administration had not been elected to politicise the Electoral Commission.
“It’s not too late. I think she (Emelia Agbenyo) should resign. This is not the Ghana we asked for,” Mr Hosi said.
He added that the appointment risked reversing progress made by the government and did not inspire confidence in the Electoral Commission’s impartiality.
“We voted for a reset, not equalisation or tilting. The government has failed on this; your work is hard,” he said.
“This decision is one of the biggest disappointments of the NDC administration,” he added.
Governance expert Professor Baffour Agyemang Duah also criticised the appointment, although he said Ms Agbenyo could not determine the outcome of an election on her own.
“This appointee is not going to make any difference in terms of who wins the elections. Can she on her own manipulate the process? I don’t think so, but as we try to raise the bar, there is a high expectation that those who are appointed to this commission are not known for their party affiliations,” he said on the same programme.
Lawyer Martin Kpebu said appointing a known NDC activist to the Electoral Commission would weaken the body’s independence. He backed calls for Ms Agbenyo to step down.
“The appointment of Emelia Agbenyo looks like a fairy tale to me. This appointment doesn’t make sense to me at all because we complained the same when Akufo-Addo made similar appointments. The appointment of Emelia Agbenyo will weaken the independence of the Electoral Commission,” he said.
“I support the call by CODEO for Emelia Agbenyo to resign from her position due to her affiliation to the NDC.”
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), which comprises more than 41 member organisations, has similarly condemned Ms Agbenyo’s appointment and swearing-in as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission on October 12, 2026.
CODEO said its objections were not based on her professional qualifications or technical competence. Instead, it said her documented political engagement created concerns about the public perception of the commission’s neutrality, impartiality and institutional credibility.
President Mahama administered the oath of office to Ms Agbenyo and Joseph Kwaku Asamoah, instructing them to perform their constitutional duties independently, firmly and impartially. He said neither he nor his administration should receive preferential treatment, and directed the commissioners to apply the law equally to all political parties and candidates.
CODEO said Ms Agbenyo had been publicly named by the NDC in August 2024 as one of its sectoral spokespersons for the party’s election manifesto, with responsibility for governance. Her LinkedIn biography also identified her as a spokesperson for the governance sector during the NDC campaign.
The coalition cited several social media posts as evidence of her political activity. On 20 September 2024, she shared a video featuring the then NDC presidential candidate, accompanied by the party campaign song Asempa by NACEE and the hashtags #a_democracy_to_salvage and #voteforchange2024.
On 31 October, she posted a photograph of John Dramani Mahama with the message: “To salvage our democracy, to restore good governance, reset our nation on the path of thriving democracy.” The post included #voteJM2024 and #voteforchange2024.
On 2 December 2024, she wrote on X: “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.” The post used the hashtags #salvageourdemocracy, #voteforchange2024, #VoteJohnMahama2024 and #EndTyranny.
CODEO said it had repeatedly called for a broader and more consultative process for appointing Electoral Commission members since the departure of founding chair Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. It raised similar concerns over the appointments of Charlotte Osei in 2014 and Jean Mensah, Dr Bossman Asare and Samuel Tetteh in 2018.
In 2023, CODEO, STAR-Ghana Foundation and Civic Forum Initiative called for the resignation of Dr Peter Appiahene over alleged partisan ties to the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The appointment prompted criticism from several groups, including the NDC, and led then opposition presidential candidate Mr Mahama to call for urgent reforms.
CODEO said the latest appointment also raised questions about the Council of State, which advises the President on Electoral Commission appointments under the Constitution. It criticised the council for failing to establish a transparent process through which citizens could assess how it performs that responsibility.
The coalition said public trust in the Electoral Commission had reached its lowest level in 2024, according to Afrobarometer, because perceptions of partisan influence had not been adequately addressed.
It also recalled that, in March 2023, Mr Mahama criticised the appointment of “known party activists” to the Electoral Commission and supported amending Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to require parliamentary approval for new commissioners.
CODEO said those principles should apply to appointments made by his own administration.
It has called on Ms Agbenyo to resign, urged President Mahama to press her to do so, and asked the government to introduce transparent, merit-based appointments capable of winning confidence across the political divide.
The coalition also wants the Council of State to create processes allowing citizens to obtain information about how it carries out its constitutional duties.
CODEO said the Constitutional Review Committee had recommended an open, competitive and merit-based appointment system involving a reformed Council of State, the Public Services Commission and prior parliamentary approval. However, the Government’s Position Paper rejected those changes while stating that the President could adopt transparent, merit-based procedures.
The coalition has urged the government to reconsider its position and pursue reforms involving independent scrutiny, clear selection criteria and meaningful parliamentary oversight.
