Politics of 2026-10-14
Rashid Tanko mounts strong defence for Emelia Agbenyo amid appointment debate
Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Rashid Tanko Computer, has said Emelia Agbenyo supported the party during the 2024 general election but was not a member of the NDC.
His comments come amid concerns over Agbenyo’s appointment as a Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), with some critics questioning her perceived political affiliation.
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Tanko Computer said on JoyNews on October 13, 2026, that several people who were not NDC members supported the party in the 2024 election because they wanted the New Patriotic Party (NPP) out of power.
“Look, I can tell you a lot of people supported NDC in the 2024 election with their own resources because they just wanted to get NPP out. They were fed up with the misgovernance in the country. They were not NDC members,” he said.
He explained that Agbenyo was among those who supported the process to help the NDC win the election.
“What we are saying is that this lady came in at that time to support the process by making sure that we get NPP out of the way, and they supported it. She is an expert in governance,” he explained.
Tanko Computer also defended Agbenyo’s appointment, arguing that her role as a Deputy EC Chairperson does not make her responsible for declaring the presidential election results.
He cited the 1992 Constitution, insisting that the responsibility for returning the presidential election results rests with the EC Chairperson.
“She's not an Electoral Commissioner. She's a Deputy Commissioner. In the 1992 Constitution, the returning officer of the presidential election is the chairperson, not the deputies. It does not extend to the deputies. It is only the sole responsibility of the commissioner,” he argued.
He further denied that the NDC’s decision to appoint Agbenyo was an attempt to fill the EC with people aligned with the governing party.
Tanko Computer said the party had not sought to create an EC that would appear politically packed in its favour, despite its concerns about the composition of the commission before the 2024 election.
“The Electoral Commission of 2024, as it was set up, was like a wink of NPP. We did not come in to create a situation where it would look like we are also going to pack it,” he stated.
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He maintained that even though concerns have been raised about Agbenyo’s political background, her professional ability was not in question.
“Interestingly enough, we brought in somebody who is so liberal. A lady who is known to be confrontational. Look, her expertise and competence are not in doubt. They are not even attacking her expertise and competence at all,” he added.
MAG/VPO
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