From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan (SAN), on Tuesday in Abuja swore in Prof. Adeniran Tella for a second term as Resident Electoral Commissioner.
Tella, a professor of Strategic Management and Public Policy at Atiba University and Deputy Dean of Management Sciences, previously served as REC in Oyo State, where he oversaw the Ekiti off-cycle governorship poll and the 2023 general elections.
The ceremony, held at the INEC headquarters, was attended by national commissioners, directors, staff, members of the media, and Tella’s family and associates.
Amupitan described the swearing-in as a renewed call to service and immediately redeployed Tella back to Oyo State for continuity. He warned the REC to uphold the commission’s core values, insisting that professionalism, transparency and strict adherence to the Electoral Act must guide all decisions.
The INEC chairman stressed that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system “remains the backbone of the nation’s democracy and must never be compromised,” adding that no acts capable of damaging the commission’s image would be condoned.
He urged Tella to work closely with INEC staff, strengthen public trust, and ensure that Oyo becomes “a beacon of democratic excellence.”
Responding, Tella expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and the commission’s leadership for finding him worthy of another term.
He pledged to maintain an open-door policy and engage political parties, observers and the media throughout the electoral cycle.
He also emphasised the need for stronger voter education and pre-election testing of BVAS, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
Tella further assured that elections under his watch would be guided by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the will of the people, promising a more robust results-management system anchored on real-time transmission and public display of polling-unit results.