The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has challenged President John Dramani Mahama to demonstrate consistency between his previous calls for reforms at the Electoral Commission (EC) and his administration’s current decisions, demanding the resignation of newly appointed Deputy EC Chairperson Emelia Affi Agbenyo over concerns about perceived political partisanship.
CODEO said Agbenyo’s publicly documented involvement in the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s 2024 election campaign raised questions about whether her appointment could undermine public confidence in the independence and impartiality of the electoral management body.
In a statement issued following her appointment and swearing-in on October 12, 2026, the coalition acknowledged the President’s constitutional authority to appoint members of the EC but stressed that the credibility of the institution depended on both actual impartiality and the public perception of neutrality.
It therefore urged Mahama to apply the same principles he advocated while in opposition, when he called for changes to the constitutional arrangements governing appointments to the Commission.
“The credibility of electoral institutions demands that the same standards be upheld regardless of which political party holds power,” CODEO maintained.
CODEO cites Agbenyo’s NDC campaign involvement
The coalition based its concerns on what it described as publicly available evidence of Agbenyo’s political activities before her appointment to the EC.
According to CODEO, the NDC announced her in August 2024 as one of its sectoral spokespersons for the party’s election manifesto, serving under the governance portfolio.
It also cited her reported professional profile on LinkedIn, where she listed her involvement as a spokesperson for the governance sector during the party’s campaign.
The coalition further referenced social media posts attributed to Agbenyo during the 2024 election campaign, including a September 20 post featuring then NDC presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama alongside the party’s campaign song and associated hashtags.
Another post dated October 31, 2024, featured Mahama with a caption advocating the restoration of good governance and democracy.
CODEO also cited a December 2, 2024, post on her X account in which she reportedly expressed opposition to the then governing administration and used hashtags supporting Mahama’s presidential bid.
The coalition argued that such activities raised questions about the appearance of political neutrality expected of a senior official responsible for overseeing elections.
It stressed, however, that its objection was not based on Agbenyo’s professional qualifications or technical competence, but on the potential implications of her publicly documented political associations for confidence in the EC.
Mahama’s previous position becomes a test of consistency
CODEO recalled comments made by Mahama in March 2023, when he was in opposition and criticised the appointment of individuals he described as known party activists to the Electoral Commission.
At the time, the President had called for an amendment to Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to require parliamentary approval for the appointment of new commissioners.
The coalition said those comments were relevant to the current controversy and urged Mahama to demonstrate that the principles he advocated while outside government remained applicable under his administration.
It argued that public confidence in electoral institutions could be weakened when political leaders appear to apply different standards depending on which party is in power.
CODEO consequently called on the President to ask Agbenyo to step down, presenting the demand as a measure to protect the Commission’s institutional credibility.
Coalition renews calls for changes to EC appointments
Beyond Agbenyo’s appointment, CODEO used the controversy to renew its longstanding demand for reforms to the process of selecting the Electoral Commission’s leadership.
The coalition recalled raising concerns during the appointments of Charlotte Osei in 2014 and Jean Mensa, Dr Bossman Asare and Samuel Tetteh in 2018.
It also cited its 2023 call, alongside STAR-Ghana Foundation and the Civic Forum Initiative, for the resignation of Dr Peter Appiahene over concerns about his alleged partisan affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to CODEO, these controversies demonstrate the need for stronger safeguards to prevent actual or perceived political affiliations from undermining confidence in the Commission.
The coalition also questioned the transparency of the Council of State’s role in the appointment process, arguing that the public should be able to assess how the advisory body discharges its constitutional responsibilities.
It called for transparent selection criteria, independent scrutiny and meaningful parliamentary oversight of appointments to the EC.
Public confidence in EC raises concern
CODEO further pointed to Afrobarometer findings indicating that public trust in the Electoral Commission reached a low point in 2024.
It argued that the appointment of individuals whose political activities are publicly known could intensify concerns about the Commission’s neutrality at a time when restoring confidence in electoral institutions remains important.
The coalition maintained that safeguards should address perceptions of partisan influence before appointments are made, rather than waiting for controversies to emerge.
Four demands placed before government
CODEO outlined four key demands in response to Agbenyo’s appointment.
First, it called on the Deputy EC Chairperson to resign in the interest of protecting public confidence in the Commission’s impartiality.
Second, it urged Mahama to demonstrate consistency with his previous position by asking her to step down.
Third, it called for reforms to make future appointments to the EC more transparent, merit-based and acceptable across the political divide.
Finally, it urged the Council of State to establish transparent procedures that would allow citizens to scrutinise how it performs its constitutional responsibilities in the appointment process.
The coalition said the demands were intended to strengthen the independence and credibility of the Commission rather than question Agbenyo’s professional ability.
Disagreement over proposed electoral reforms
CODEO also expressed concern about the government’s position on recommendations by the Constitutional Review Committee concerning appointments to the EC.
The committee recommended an open, competitive and merit-based process involving a reformed Council of State, the Public Services Commission and prior parliamentary approval.
However, according to CODEO, the government’s position paper rejected the proposed changes to the existing appointment arrangements, while indicating that the President could adopt transparent and merit-based procedures.
The coalition urged the government to reconsider its position and pursue reforms that would provide independent scrutiny, clear selection criteria and meaningful parliamentary oversight.
It maintained that strengthening the appointment process would help protect the EC from actual or perceived partisan influence, irrespective of the political party in government.
CODEO’s intervention places renewed focus on the relationship between presidential appointment powers, political neutrality and public confidence in Ghana’s electoral system, with the coalition insisting that the credibility of the EC must be protected through both institutional safeguards and the conduct of its leadership.
