INEC Chairman Amupitan Appoints Multi-Award Winner Adedayo Oketola as Chief Press Secretary
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan SAN, has appointed multiple award-winning journalist and strategic communications expert Adedayo Eriye Oketola as his Chief Press Secretary (CPS).
PRNigeria reports that the appointment, which follows the exit of the former CPS, Rotimi Oyekanmi, was formally conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and dated Friday, October 24, 2025.
Mr. Oketola brings over two decades of high-impact experience to the role, recognized for his “inclusive reporting and journalistic excellence,” according to a daily bulletin from the commission. His career is distinguished by several prestigious awards and leadership positions.
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He served as Editor of The PUNCH, Nigeria’s influential newspaper, from 2022 to 2024. During this tenure, the newspaper won consecutive Newspaper of the Year awards. Oketola was personally named Editor of the Year at the Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA) in 2023 and received the same recognition at The Industry Awards that year, in addition to the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME) in 2024.
He is a two-time recipient of the Zimeo Excellence in Media Awards and an Edward R. Murrow Fellow under the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
His academic background includes degrees from the Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Ibadan, as well as a law degree (LL.B.) from the National Open University of Nigeria. He is an Associate of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Upon assuming office last Thursday, INEC Chairman Amupitan reaffirmed his commitment to integrity, transparency, and discipline in managing Nigeria’s electoral process. In her congratulatory message to the new CPS, the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, urged Oketola to discharge his duties with professionalism and uphold the values of transparency and integrity that define the commission.
Oketola’s appointment, following his exit from editorship which he marked with Nigeria’s first-ever Exaugural Lecture by a newspaper editor, is expected to enhance the commission’s public communication strategy. His debut book, The Catalyst: Nigerian Tech Evolution Through A Journalist’s Lens, was presented to the public in 2024.
By PRNigeria
