INEC Chairman Appoints Former PUNCH Editor Adedayo Oketola as Chief Press Secretary

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has appointed former PUNCH Editor Adedayo Oketola as his Chief Press Secretary (CPS).

The appointment comes following the departure of Rotimi Oyekanmi, who previously served as CPS to the former INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

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

“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,” the bulletin stated.

Oketola was described in the release as a “multi-award-winning journalist with nearly two decades of experience,” recognised for his “inclusive reporting and journalistic excellence.”

He previously served as News Editor and Business Editor of The PUNCH, as well as Assistant Editor of News and Politics for Saturday PUNCH. During his tenure as Editor, he was named Editor of the Year at the 2023 Nigeria Media Merit Awards, where the newspaper also won Newspaper of the Year. 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 in Johannesburg (2015) and Nairobi (2016).

In her congratulatory message, Oriaran-Anthony encouraged Oketola to carry out his duties professionally, upholding the values of transparency and integrity central to the commission.

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