Dr John Osae‑Kwapong, a CDD‑Ghana Fellow, warned on Joy News’ PM Express that public scrutiny of Electoral Commission appointments may overlook those whose political loyalties remain private. He noted that an appointee could hold strong partisan sympathies without openly displaying them, raising questions about the independence of the body.
Osae‑Kwapong said the public tends to react more strongly to visible political affiliations, while less apparent loyalties can attract greater acceptance. He cited the recent swearing‑in of Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah and Emelia Afi Agbenyo as EC deputy chairpersons by President John Mahama on Monday, October 12, who tasked the new appointees with upholding electoral integrity and strengthening public confidence.
The fellow proposed an “Akufo‑Addo test” for assessing appointees, drawing on remarks from former President Nana Akufo‑Addo during the 2023 EC appointments. The test would examine whether a candidate can serve with integrity, fairness, professionalism, and independence of mind and judgment. Osae‑Kwapong also questioned whether internal safeguards exist to prevent an openly partisan member from influencing the commission’s decisions.
He argued that the concern would be alleviated if the other commissioners could restrain a member seeking to advance partisan interests. The debate highlights the need to evaluate both individual conduct and institutional capacity to check bias, regardless of an appointee’s public political image.
