A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) legal team, Ross Owusu, has urged President John Dramani Mahama not to repeat mistakes he believes the previous NPP government made, following the appointment of Emelia Afi Agbenyo as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC).

He argued that although the NPP may have made decisions that disappointed Ghanaians during its time in office, the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) government should not follow the same path, particularly on appointments that could raise concerns about the independence of state institutions.

Speaking on TV3’s Keypoints on October 17, 2026, Owusu said the NDC’s promise of a political reset had created expectations that the Mahama administration would avoid practices it previously criticised when it was in opposition.

“If the NPP made some mistakes in the past which the Ghanaian population were not happy with, we do not expect President John Dramani Mahama to toe the same line,” he said.

Owusu questioned why President Mahama would make an appointment similar to one he had previously criticised under former President Nana Akufo-Addo.

“Why would he disappoint the people of this country in this manner by doing the exact thing he complained of when he was in opposition?” he asked.

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He maintained that the President had an opportunity to reconsider the appointment and demonstrate his commitment to democratic governance and the independence of the Electoral Commission.

Owusu also rejected suggestions that the party’s record under the previous administration should prevent it from criticising the current government.

According to him, past mistakes by the NPP should serve as a lesson rather than an excuse for the NDC to adopt similar practices.

Owusu further urged Mahama to listen to concerns raised by the public and other critics of the appointment, insisting that the government’s commitment to a political reset should be reflected in its decisions.

He warned that appointments perceived to be influenced by partisan considerations could undermine public confidence in the Electoral Commission, an institution whose independence is considered crucial to Ghana’s electoral process.

His comments follow concerns raised by some members of the NPP over Agbenyo’s appointment, with questions being asked about her perceived political leanings towards the governing NDC.

MRA/EB

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