My research explores how parliamentary representation unfolds in Ghana and across Africa, paying close attention to the complex relationships between MPs, their constituencies, and party structures. I examine how legislators navigate competing demands from voters, elites, and institutional rules, revealing how clientelism, intra-party competition, and informal institutions shape legislative behaviour. Works such as How Constituency Gatekeepers Shape Parliamentary Behaviour in Ghana, and Legislators Between the Throne and the House illustrate how these dynamics influence the everyday practice of politics in emerging democracies.

Beyond legislatures, my research investigates broader questions of executive power, personalization of power, and governance in Africa. Studies including Personnel, Institutions and Power: Revisiting the Concept of Executive Personalisation and analyses of COVID-19’s impact on executive leadership explore how individual leaders and institutional arrangements interact to shape policymaking and accountability. This work is complemented by analyses of digital tools in African elections. Studies such as Smart Machines, Old Tricks and Overpromising and Underdelivering? Digital Technology in Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Election highlight how digital technology can both support and complicate democratic processes.

I also engage with questions of development and political transitions, connecting research on democratic short-termism, resilient grassroots structures, and leadership change to broader societal outcomes. My analyses of development planning and power transitions demonstrate how political structures influence not only representation but also the everyday lives of citizens. My work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of the interplay between electoral politics, institutional design, and elite behaviour in shaping both parliamentary practice and the democratic trajectory of African states.

Work in Progress

Beyond Patronage: How Party Elites Select Parliamentary Candidates in Ghana

Digitalisation and Distrust: Electoral Technology and Legitimacy in Sub-Saharan Africa

Majoritarian Electoral System and the Policy Positioning of Female Members of Parliament in Ghana

Local Elite-Centeredness of Parliamentary Representation in African Democracies