The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has called for the resignation of Electoral Commission of Ghana Deputy Chairperson Emelia Affi Agbenyo, saying her documented involvement in the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s 2024 campaign has damaged public confidence in the commission’s independence.
Ms Agbenyo was sworn into office by President John Dramani Mahama on 12 October 2026, alongside Joseph Kwaku Asamoah. The president said the Electoral Commission must operate with independence, firmness and impartiality, and insisted that neither he nor his administration should receive preferential treatment.
He instructed the new commissioners to apply the law equally to all political parties and candidates.
CODEO, which comprises more than 41 member organisations, said its objection was not based on Ms Agbenyo’s professional qualifications or technical ability. It said the issue was whether the commission’s leadership could command public confidence in its neutrality, regardless of which party was in power.
The coalition cited the NDC’s announcement in August 2024 that Ms Agbenyo was one of its sectoral spokespersons for the party’s election manifesto, with responsibility for governance. Her LinkedIn biography also identified her as a governance-sector spokesperson during the campaign.
CODEO said she subsequently shared NDC campaign material online. On 20 September 2024, she posted a video featuring the party’s then presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, alongside the campaign song Asempa by NACEE and the hashtags #a_democracy_to_salvage and #voteforchange2024.
On 31 October, she published a photograph of Mr Mahama with the caption: “To salvage our democracy, to restore good governance, reset our nation on the path of thriving democracy.” The post included #voteJM2024 and #voteforchange2024.
A post on her X account on 2 December said: “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.” It carried hashtags supporting Mr Mahama and calling for an end to tyranny.
CODEO said concerns about perceived political bias had contributed to citizen trust in the Electoral Commission reaching its lowest level in 2024, according to Afrobarometer.
The coalition also recalled that, in March 2023, Mr Mahama criticised the appointment of “known party activists” to the commission while in opposition. He called for Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to be amended so that new commissioners would require parliamentary approval.
CODEO said those principles should apply under his administration and urged him to ask Ms Agbenyo to step down.
It also called for transparent, merit-based appointments, meaningful parliamentary oversight and greater openness from the Council of State, which advises the president on Electoral Commission appointments.
The Constitutional Review Committee recommended an open and competitive process involving a reformed Council of State, the Public Services Commission and prior parliamentary approval. CODEO said the government’s position paper rejected those changes, although it indicated that the president could adopt transparent procedures.
