The Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of undermining Ghana’s democracy over the appointment of Emelia Agbenyo as a Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC).
He argues that Ms Agbenyo’s alleged political affiliations and previous roles linked to the NDC raise concerns about her ability to discharge her duties independently.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, October 12, Mr Aboagye described the decision as a threat to the democratic principles of neutrality and accountability, which he said were essential to the work of the Electoral Commission.
“It’s a shame how low they are sinking this democracy that we’ve all been fighting for and working towards its growth,” he said.
“This lady is not just an advocate of the NDC. In fact, he is a die-in-the-wool NDC, even more NDC than Rashid Tanko himself. Are you aware that this lady was a special assistant to Honourable Ayariga when he was Deputy Education Minister during the John Mahama number one presidency?
“Is that the role for consultants? Is that a role for neutral people? That is not all. This is a lady who currently holds a political appointment, a partisan political appointment.”
Mr Aboagye also referred to a political message attributed to Ms Agbenyo in support of John Mahama during the 2020 and 2024 election campaigns, which he said raised questions about her suitability for a position requiring independence.
“This is a lady that is being sold to us as somebody that can independently bear the affairs of our election, except a person who has openly taken sides,” he said.
He questioned why the NDC would nominate someone whose political history, in his view, could undermine public confidence in the Electoral Commission.
Mr Aboagye maintained that the appointment could affect perceptions of the Commission’s impartiality, insisting that “individuals appointed to oversee elections must be seen to be independent of partisan interests.”
His comments follow criticism of Ms Agbenyo’s appointment, with questions being raised about whether her previous political roles are compatible with the neutrality expected of a Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.