Government spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has admitted that the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) wanted to “tilt the balance” in the composition of the Electoral Commission (EC) with the appointment of Emilia Afi Agbenyo as a Deputy Chairperson.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said the appointment was intended to address what he described as an imbalance in the political composition of the Commission.
His comments come amid concerns raised by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) over Ms Agbenyo’s political neutrality following her appointment and swearing-in alongside Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah.
The NPP has questioned her suitability for the position, citing her participation in the NDC’s campaign activities and her role as a spokesperson for the party’s manifesto committee on governance.
Earlier on the show, Nana B had insisted that in the erstwhile administration, President John Mahama criticised some of the EC appointments, yet today, he “has appointed a known NDC member and we are questioning it, and you’re saying we do not have the guts to criticise you.”
“It is not NPP you’re talking to, it is Ghanaians,” he added.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu acknowledged that some people had legitimate concerns about her appointment but argued that her conduct in office would help address those concerns.
“I have acknowledged that there are people who have legitimate concerns, but those concerns in my view will be mitigated by the conduct of madam Afi [Emelia Afi Agbenyo] herself in the role that she’s been given,” he said on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
He accused the NPP of applying double standards, arguing that the party had previously appointed people affiliated with it to state institutions.
He also questioned why the political composition of the EC should remain unchanged if, as he claimed, several of its commissioners were associated with the NPP.
“The other issue is that you see a Reset could also mean balancing the lopsided state institutions. Why is it acceptable for us to have a situation where out of seven commissioners who manage Ghana’s elections, almost four of them are NPPs? Why should we live with that? What is wrong with tilting the balance?” he asked.
When the Top Story host asked whether tilting the balance meant appointing an NDC member to the Commission, Mr Kwakye Ofosu responded: “Yes.”
The comments add to the debate over the political neutrality and independence of the EC following the appointment of the two deputy chairpersons.
At their swearing-in ceremony, President John Dramani Mahama charged the new appointees to discharge their duties independently and impartially, stressing that no political party or candidate should receive preferential treatment.
The NPP’s concerns centre on whether Ms Agbenyo’s previous political activities could affect public confidence in the Commission’s impartiality. The government, however, has maintained that concerns about her neutrality should be assessed in light of her conduct in office.