INEC chairman appoints ex-PUNCH Editor Oketola as CPS

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has approved the appointment of a former Editor, Adedayo Oketola, as his Chief Press Secretary.

The appointment follows the exit of Rotimi Oyekanmi, who previously served as CPS to the immediate past INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

According to a daily bulletin released on Monday by the commission’s Editor-in-Chief and Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, the appointment was formally conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, dated Friday, October 24, 2025.

“The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN, has approved the appointment of Mr. Adedayo Eriye Oketola as his Chief Press Secretary.

“The appointment was officially conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, dated Friday, 24th October 2025,” it read.

In the bulletin, Oketola was described as a “multi-award-winning journalist with nearly two decades of experience,” recognised for his “inclusive reporting and journalistic excellence.” Oketola previously served as News Editor and Business Editor and Assistant Editor of News and Politics.

During his tenure they was named Editor of the Year at the 2023 Nigeria Media Merit Awards, where the newspaper also won the Newspaper of the Year award.

He was similarly honoured as Editor of the Year at The Industry Awards in 2023 and is a two-time recipient of the Zimeo Excellence in Media Awards held in Johannesburg (2015) and Nairobi (2016).

Oriaran-Anthony, in her congratulatory message, urged Oketola to discharge his duties with professionalism and uphold the values of transparency and integrity that define the commission.

Upon assuming office last Thursday, Amupitan reaffirmed his commitment to integrity, transparency, and discipline in managing Nigeria’s electoral process. He also pledged to prioritise staff welfare and promote teamwork and accountability across the commission.