Beatrice Annan, a senior presidential staffer, defended the appointment of Emelia Afi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday, October 12, 2026, insisting that Agbenyo is not a card‑bearing member of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Annan said Agbenyo’s involvement in the NDC’s 2020 and 2024 campaign activities stemmed from her advocacy for gender inclusion rather than partisan affiliation. “She is not a card‑bearing member of the National Democratic Congress, has never been a card‑bearing member of the National Democratic Congress,” she told Eyewitness News.
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has questioned Agbenyo’s neutrality, citing her participation in the NDC’s campaign and her role as a spokesperson for the party’s manifesto committee on governance. Annan countered that Agbenyo’s professional background and record of gender advocacy should be weighed before any conclusions about political leanings are drawn.
“If you look at her CV critically, before even the NPP came into power in 2016, she had been a gender advocate,” Annan said, noting her work as a technical adviser and gender analyst with GIZ Ghana. She added that the NDC had opened its doors to non‑partisan professionals during the 2020 and 2024 election campaigns to contribute expertise to policy development.
Annan further explained that Agbenyo’s support for the party’s female running mate ahead of the 2024 elections aligned with her advocacy for women’s representation in leadership. She also highlighted that Agbenyo had warned the NDC that gender advocates would campaign against the party if it failed to maintain a female running mate, and that she had criticised the NDC in 2016 over perceived poor governance.
Regarding the appointment process, Annan maintained that the presidency complied with the law, noting that nominees were presented to the Council of State more than a month before swearing‑in and that the Council had conducted extensive consultations with stakeholders. She acknowledged that public involvement could have been greater, saying, “Feedback noted. Maybe in the future, the public should be more involved in the processes.”
She concluded by assuring the opposition that no card‑bearing member of the NDC had been appointed as a Deputy Electoral Commissioner, urging that Agbenyo’s appointment be assessed on her professional expertise rather than her gender advocacy or political discourse.
What to watch next: The EC and the NPP may continue to debate Agbenyo’s suitability, and the public will likely monitor any further statements from the Council of State or the presidency regarding the appointment process.
