Mahdi Gibril Says NDC Would Appoint Party Executives to Lead EC If It Could
Mahdi Gibril, Acting Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said the party would appoint its General Secretary as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) and its National Organiser as deputy if it had the power to do so. Speaking on GhanAkoma, hosted by Sir John on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, he described the NDC’s relationship with Electoral Commission officials as one marked by longstanding mistrust. His comments come amid controversy over the appointments of Emelia Afi Agbenyo and Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah as Deputy Chairpersons of the Commission. “If we in the NDC had the power, we would wish to have our General Secretary appointed as the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and our National Organizer as his deputy,” he said.
Mr Gibril also challenged critics of Ms Agbenyo’s appointment to identify the specific law they believe the government had breached, questioning whether allegations of political affiliation alone rendered her appointment unlawful. He maintained that the NDC did not trust Electoral Commissioners, stating, “The NDC does not and will never trust Electoral Commissioners.” The appointments have attracted scrutiny over concerns about political affiliation and the EC’s perceived independence, renewing debate about public confidence in the institution’s ability to discharge its constitutional duties impartially. President John Dramani Mahama swore in the two deputy chairpersons on Monday, October 12, 2026, following the resignation of Dr Bossman Eric Asare and the retirement of Samuel Tettey.
