New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Team member, Issah Mohammed, has maintained that the party’s concerns over the appointment of Madam Afi Agbenyo to the Electoral Commission are centred on protecting the independence and credibility of state institutions rather than fear of losing the 2028 general elections.
Speaking to Isaac Addae on The Verdict on Starr FM, Mr Mohammed argued that appointing individuals with alleged political affiliations to sensitive state institutions could undermine public confidence in their neutrality and set a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
He insisted that the NPP was confident in the electoral process and did not consider the outcome of the 2028 elections its primary concern.
“It’s going to be difficult for anybody, or any Electoral Commissioner sitting in Accra, or any constituency to turn elections,” he said.
According to him, existing electoral procedures, including the monitoring of ballot printing, would make it difficult for individuals to manipulate the electoral process.
Mr Mohammed stressed that the party’s principal concern was the need to protect state institutions from appointments that could raise questions about their independence and impartiality.
“The state institutions must be protected so that we don’t just get up and pick anybody who previously was with a political party and go and put the person there,” he stated.
He cautioned that allowing individuals with political backgrounds to occupy positions in independent institutions without addressing concerns about their impartiality could establish a precedent that future governments might follow.
He warned that such a situation could threaten institutional credibility and create instability, with consequences extending beyond the interests of the NPP and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Mohammed maintained that the controversy should therefore be viewed as a national concern, stressing that protecting the independence of the Electoral Commission was important to sustaining public confidence in Ghana’s democratic processes ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He called for greater transparency and public scrutiny in the appointment process, arguing that clear explanations about nominees’ experience and most importantly past political involvement would help address concerns and reassure citizens that the Electoral Commission’s decisions would remain guided by the national interest rather than partisan considerations.
Story By Pamela Quayson
