A lecturer at the University of Cape Coast and political analyst, Dr. Jonathan Asante Otchere, has called for a review of the process for appointing commissioners to the Electoral Commission.
He has suggested that it is time for Ghana to consider electing EC commissioners or selecting them through the Public Services Commission.
Prof. Asante was commenting on the appointment of two new Deputy Chairpersons for the Electoral Commission and the public reaction to the appointment of Emelia Afi Agbenyo.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s on Saturday, October 17, 2026, he described the controversy as a “needless pressure” the President has brought upon himself.
He said President Mahama had many other candidates who were not politically exposed to choose from among Ghana’s population of about 35 million, including persons who may sympathise with the NDC without being politically exposed.
Prof. Asante said if Ms Agbenyo is as politically exposed as her critics claim, then her appointment was inappropriate.
He noted that concerns about the appointment were coming from independent bodies such as the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and think tanks, and not just from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
On calls for the removal of commissioners perceived to be biased towards the NPP, he said petitioning for their removal would have been appropriate but acknowledged it would have been a Herculean task and would not have helped the image of the party or government.
He said the President had therefore taken “the course of least resistance.”
Prof. Asante also criticised government’s public explanation of the appointment, particularly suggestions that it was intended to tilt the balance, saying such explanations should not have been made publicly.
He further questioned the role of the Council of State in the process, describing it as a very high advisory institution.
Reacting on the same programme, a member of the NDC National Communications Team, Hamza Sayibu Suhuyini, said the appointment was well calculated and well-reasoned, and that President Mahama acted on the advice of the Council of State.
He said Ms Agbenyo was not the only candidate considered and claimed she underwent a series of interviews and appeared before the Council of State at least twice.
He argued that balancing partisan affiliations is not alien to Ghana’s democratic practice.
A member of the NPP Communications Team, Kamal-Deen Abdulai, disagreed with the appointment, arguing it contradicted President Mahama’s position while in opposition.
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