{
  "id": 14444995,
  "title": "EC deputy appointment makes Mahama a walking contradiction – Brako-Powers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/ec-deputy-appointment-makes-mahama-a-walking-contradiction-brako",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-14T12:11:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "3News",
    "slug": "3news",
    "url": "https://3news.com/news/ec-deputy-appointment-makes-mahama-a-walking-contradiction-brako-powers"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lawyer Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers has labeled President John Dramani Mahama as a \"walking contradiction\" following the appointment of Deputy Chairpersons Emelia Afi Agbenyo and Joseph Kwaku Asamoah to the Electoral Commission (EC). Brako-Powers argues that this decision contradicts Mahama's previous stance against appointing politically partisan individuals to the EC. The two were sworn in on October 12, 2026, to replace Dr Bossman Eric Asare and Samuel Tettey, who resigned and retired respectively.\n\nBrako-Powers expressed concern over Mrs Agbenyo's appointment, citing her past social media posts against the then ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). He emphasized that the public conduct of appointees should be thoroughly scrutinized before entrusting them with such sensitive responsibilities. His concern stems from the fact that the institution must operate independently of political parties.\n\nIn the past, Mahama had criticized the NPP for appointing known party activists to the EC, proposing constitutional amendments to ensure parliamentary approval for such appointments. He reiterated his concerns in 2024, questioning the neutrality of individuals with party ties as Electoral Commissioners.\n\nThe EC defended its appointments, noting that similar concerns arose when Mahama was in office. Brako-Powers insists that the same standards should apply to the current government led by the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Despite Mahama's instruction to the newly appointed deputies to act without party favoritism, Brako-Powers raises broader questions about the criteria used to select members of independent constitutional bodies. He insists that political neutrality, public confidence, professional competence, and transparent scrutiny are crucial for maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.",
  "summary": "Mr Brako-Powers’ position raises broader questions about the criteria used to select members of independent constitutional bodies",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}