INEC Chair warns Oyo REC: Integrity of polls sacrosanct

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has cautioned the reappointed Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Oyo State, Prof. Adeniran Tella, against actions capable of undermining the credibility of the nation’s electoral process.

Amupitan gave the charge on Tuesday during the swearing-in of Tella at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Reaffirming INEC’s commitment to delivering free, fair and credible elections, Amupitan said the Commission would not tolerate any compromise that could erode public confidence.

“The integrity of our elections is non-negotiable,” he declared. “You must uphold the highest standards of professionalism. Any compromise on our values or procedures will not be tolerated.”

He urged the Oyo REC to ensure strict adherence to the Electoral Act and INEC’s operational guidelines, noting that a transparent process was essential to reversing voter apathy and strengthening democratic participation.

“We have both a moral and legal responsibility to keep the system above reproach. Any misconduct, whether by omission or commission, is unacceptable. The public trust placed in INEC is sacred,” the chairman said.

He charged Tella to work with stakeholders and INEC staff to ensure Oyo State becomes “a beacon of democratic values.”

In his response, Prof. Tella pledged to uphold fairness and accountability. He listed his immediate priorities to include voter education, improved logistics, enhanced staff monitoring, continuous voter registration, and a strengthened result-management framework based on real-time transmission and public display of results.