No election is perfect anywhere — Oyo REC

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Oyo State, Adeniran Tella, has said that no election anywhere in the world is completely perfect, stressing the need for continuous improvement in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Tella made the remark on Sunday while appearing on a monthly programme of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State in Ibadan, where he addressed issues surrounding voter registration, election logistics and electoral offences.

He commended residents of the state for the growing participation in the ongoing Permanent Voter Card registration exercise, noting that more citizens were showing interest in taking part in the democratic process.

“I appreciate the people of this state for coming out to register. The number of people registering now has increased compared to what we had previously,” he said.

The REC urged eligible voters who are yet to register to take advantage of the exercise, while advising those who already possess their PVCs to keep them safe and resist the temptation of selling them to politicians.

“We want to appeal to those who have not registered to come forward and register. Those who already have their PVCs should keep them safe and must not sell them,” he added.

Tella also disclosed that the commission had been working closely with the National Orientation Agency to sensitise members of the public on civic responsibility and the importance of responsible participation in elections.

Responding to complaints about the late arrival of electoral officials during elections, he said the commission had continued to refine its operations by learning from past experiences.

According to him, lessons from previous elections have helped the commission improve its planning and logistics.

“We conducted a by-election in Ibadan North in August 2025, and we adjusted many of the lessons we learnt from the 2019 and 2023 elections,” he said.

“There is no election anywhere that is perfect. However, we continue to improve and correct our shortcomings each time.”

He further explained that the commission works with several stakeholders during elections, including members of the National Youth Service Corps and transport unions, to ensure smooth electoral operations.

“We make use of corps members, transporters and other stakeholders. We hold meetings with them ahead of elections and they have been very supportive,” Tella stated.