If We Were Voting Today, I Would Vote Against Mahama Over Emelia Agbenyo’s Appointment As Deputy EC Chair; He Has Let Some Of Us Down – Prof. Charles Marfo

Former Provost of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Charles Marfo, has expressed strong disappointment over the appointment of Emelia Afi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC).

According to Prof. Marfo, the appointment has eroded confidence in President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to protecting independent state institutions.

“If we were voting today, I would vote against John Mahama because of Emelia Afi Agbenyo’s appointment as deputy EC Chair. He has let some of us down,” Prof. Marfo is quoted as saying.

Prof. Marfo’s comment adds to the growing public debate following President Mahama’s swearing-in of Emelia Afi Agbenyo and Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah as Deputy Chairpersons of the EC on October 12, 2026, to replace Dr Bossman Asare and Samuel Tettey.

Mrs. Agbenyo’s appointment has attracted political scrutiny over her previous association with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), where she served as governance sector spokesperson during the 2024 election campaign.

While government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has defended the appointment as part of efforts to “tilt the balance” in the EC’s composition, the opposition NPP has described it as a threat to the neutrality and independence of the electoral management body.

Prof. Marfo, a respected academic and social commentator, believes the decision undermines public trust and contradicts the principles the NDC previously championed when in opposition.