BY Nadia Ntiamoah
Emelia Affi Agbenyo, a newly appointed Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), has reportedly deleted Facebook posts relating to President John Dramani Mahama and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), amid growing controversy over her political background and calls by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for her appointment to be withdrawn.
A review of her Facebook page saw that posts associated with the NDC and John Mahama are no longer visible, leaving content that reportedly does not relate to partisan politics.
The reported removal of the posts has triggered fresh discussions about Ms Agbenyo’s previous political activities and whether the decision is connected to the mounting criticism of her appointment to one of the country’s most sensitive constitutional institutions.
However, the circumstances surrounding the reported deletions have not been independently established, and it remains unclear whether Ms Agbenyo personally removed the posts, when the appointment was made, or whether the action was directly linked to the controversy surrounding her appointment.
The development comes at a time when her political neutrality has become a major subject of public debate following her appointment by President Mahama and subsequent swearing-in alongside Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah, the other deputy on October 12, 2026.
NPP Intensifies Over Agbenyo’s Political Background
The NPP has strongly rejected Ms Agbenyo’s appointment, arguing that her previous involvement in the NDC’s political activities raises questions about whether she can command the confidence of all political parties as a senior official of the Electoral Commission.
Before her appointment, Ms Agbenyo served as the NDC’s governance sector spokesperson during the preparation of the party’s 2024 manifesto. She also participated in political communication and campaign activities in support of the party.
In a statement dated October 13, 2026, the NPP’s National Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, said the party considered her appointment unacceptable because of her previous association with the governing party.
The opposition argued that placing someone who had publicly defended the NDC’s policies during an election campaign in the senior leadership of the institution responsible for organising future elections could undermine public confidence in the Commission.
The party subsequently called on President Mahama to withdraw the appointment and urged the Council of State to explain the advice it provided regarding the decision.
The NPP also called for reforms to the appointment process for Electoral Commission members, arguing that the ongoing constitutional review process should address concerns about political affiliations and the independence of the electoral management body.
Social Media Activity
The reported disappearance of posts relating to the NDC and Mahama has added another dimension to the controversy, particularly as political opponents continue to examine Ms Agbenyo’s previous public activities.
Social media users have reportedly been encouraged to visit her Facebook page and search for references to the NDC or the President, with claims that content associated with the party is no longer available.
There have also been claims that Ms Agbenyo has blocked some Facebook users, particularly individuals perceived to be NPP supporters who have criticised her appointment.
It has not been independently verified how many posts may have been deleted, whether any content was archived or made private, or the number and identities of users who may have been blocked.
Neither the reported deletion of political posts nor the alleged blocking of critics, on its own, establishes whether Ms Agbenyo intends to distance herself from her previous political activities.
Mahama’s Previous Criticism Of EC Appointments Resurfaces
The controversy surrounding Ms Agbenyo has also revived Mahama’s own criticism of Electoral Commission appointments made under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In March 2023, Mahama criticised the appointment of individuals he described as political activists to the Commission and called for an amendment to Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to require parliamentary approval for the appointment of EC members.
His comments followed the appointment of Dr Peter Appiahene, Hajia Salima Ahmed Tijani and Rev. Akua Ofori Boateng to the Commission.
The NDC, which was then in opposition, subsequently petitioned the Council of State to reconsider its advice regarding the appointments of Dr Appiahene and Hajia Tijani, citing concerns about their alleged political affiliations.
The party argued at the time that the Commission needed to maintain public confidence by ensuring that its membership could be trusted to act impartially.
The NPP now argues that the appointment of Ms Agbenyo raises similar concerns, given her previous role in the
NDC’s manifesto campaign.
Government Defends Appointment Amid Growing Scrutiny.The government has defended Ms Agbenyo’s appointment, pointing to her professional experience and insisting that concerns about her neutrality should be assessed in light of her conduct in office.
Before joining the Electoral Commission, she served as Deputy Director-General for Operations at the Ghana TVET Service, where her responsibilities involved public-sector administration and institutional operations.
The NDC’s Deputy Director of Elections and Information Technology, Rashid Tanko Computer, has also defended her qualifications, arguing on TV3’s Daily Brief programme on October 12 that she was capable of serving at the Commission.
Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, however, sparked a separate wave of controversy when he acknowledged on Joy FM’s Top Story programme on October 13 that the NDC wanted to “tilt the balance” in the composition of the Electoral Commission.
Asked whether this meant appointing an NDC member to the Commission, Kwakye Ofosu answered in the affirmative.He argued that the political composition of the Commission needed to be considered in the context of what he described as an imbalance in state institutions, while maintaining that Ms Agbenyo’s conduct could address concerns about her impartiality.
