The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has called on newly appointed Deputy Electoral Commissioner Emelia Affi Agbenyo to resign over concerns about her alleged political affiliation with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In a statement issued on October 15, 2026, the civil society group said her resignation would help protect public confidence in the Electoral Commission’s (EC) independence and credibility.
“Calls on Ms. Emelia Affi Agbenyo to honourably resign as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission in the interest of protecting public confidence in the Commission's impartiality and institutional credibility,” portions of the statement read.
CODEO acknowledged President John Dramani Mahama’s constitutional authority to appoint officials to the EC but said publicly available evidence suggested Agbenyo was politically active with the NDC during the 2024 general election campaign.
The group argued that such reported involvement could affect public perceptions of the Commission’s neutrality, stressing that its credibility depends not only on the conduct of its commissioners but also on public confidence in their impartiality.
“While CODEO recognizes the President's constitutional authority over appointments, public evidence of Ms. Agbenyo's active political engagement with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 general election campaign directly compromises the public perception of the independence, impartiality, and institutional credibility of the Electoral Commission,” the statement said.
CODEO reiterated its position that the appointment process for Electoral Commission officials should extend beyond the provisions of Article 70(2) of the 1992 Constitution.
It recalled raising similar concerns over the appointments of Charlotte Osei, Jean Mensa, Dr Bossman Asare and Samuel Tetteh, saying its recommendations had not been heeded.
The group also referred to its previous call for the resignation of Dr Peter Appiahene over concerns about his alleged affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“The appointment of Dr Peter Appiahene rightly generated condemnation from many groups, including the National Democratic Congress, prompting its then Presidential Aspirant, now President John Mahama, to call for urgent reforms,” the statement added.
CODEO further urged President Mahama to ask Agbenyo to step down, saying he should apply the same principles he advocated while in opposition to appointments involving individuals with alleged partisan affiliations.
“The President must demonstrate that the principles he advocated in opposition remain applicable under his own administration,” the group stated.
Read the full statement below:
