Asking Agbenyo to resign will mean everyone else at EC must leave – Vicky Bright

Victoria Bright, a private legal practitioner, has criticized calls for newly appointed Electoral Commission Deputy Chairperson Emelia Affi Agbenyo to resign, stating that it would be excessive. In an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile programme, Bright argued that applying the same standard to other commissioners could potentially require the entire Commission to step down.

Her focus was on improving the appointment process to ensure public confidence in the Commission, rather than singling out Agbenyo for resignation. Bright pointed out that CODEO's demand for Agbenyo's resignation was problematic as it would create an uneven standard across the Commission. She noted that the Commission Chair, known for strong family and political ties to the opposition party, should also be held to the same standard.

Bright questioned why other members of the Commission with political affiliations were not subject to similar scrutiny. She emphasized that addressing weaknesses in the appointment process should be the priority to prevent future controversies. Bright argued that previous administrations had made politically charged appointments, suggesting that the country needed to move beyond disagreements and consider the desired nature of an Electoral Commission.

She urged the debate to shift from judging appointments by one administration versus another, and to focus on building an electoral body that inspires confidence across political divides. Bright stressed that the ultimate test for the Commission was earning the trust of both major political parties and the broader Ghanaian public, especially when decisions conflicted with their interests.