The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on President John Dramani Mahama to withdraw the appointment of Emelia Afi Agbenyo as a Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC).
The party said her previous role as the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s governance sector spokesperson during the preparation of its 2024 manifesto, as well as her participation in NDC campaign rallies, raised concerns about her neutrality.
It said Ms Afi Agbenyo was seen in videos on NDC campaign rally platforms campaigning with and for the NDC.
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In a statement dated October 13, 2026 and signed by its National Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the NPP said the appointment was unacceptable less than two years after she campaigned for the NDC.
It said public confidence in the EC was essential to the credibility of elections, warning that doubts about the neutrality of its leadership could lead to suspicion surrounding voter registration, boundary decisions and the declaration of results.
The party also recalled comments made by President Mahama in March 2023, when he reportedly criticised the appointment of persons he described as party activists to the commission and called for Article 43(2) of the Constitution to be amended to require parliamentary approval for such appointments.
The party urged the government to use the ongoing constitutional review process to reform the appointment of EC members, in line with the proposal it said the President made in 2023.
The NPP said it would use all lawful means to protect the integrity of the electoral system and called on civil society organisations, religious bodies, the media and the public to support its demand.
The statement said the party “cannot trust that an active NDC operative will demonstrate respect for the law; she’s partisan and can’t be neutral, and we doubt she will be transparent in her office as deputy EC; Her accuracy, professionalism and competence would be clouded due to her strong affiliation with the NDC, and obviously, she’s designed not to serve the interests of the nation, but the NDC, her political party.”
The party said it also took serious note of the acceptance speech delivered by Mr Asamoah, the other newly appointed deputy chairperson, saying “his remarks were deeply troubling and, if left unchallenged, could undermine the peace and stability our nation currently enjoys.”
It said, “The statement bore the hallmarks of a partisan agenda, one that appears closely aligned with the interests of the NDC.”
Two newly appointed deputy chairpersons of the Electoral Commission, Emelia Afi Agbenyo and Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah, were on Monday sworn into office by President John Dramani Mahama.
They replaced Dr Bossman Eric Asare, a deputy chairperson in charge of Corporate Services, who resigned effective July 31, 2026, to take up full-time work in academia, and Samuel Tettey, deputy chairperson who was in charge of Operations, who has retired on the attainment of the compulsory retirement age of 65.