The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced plans to mobilise more than 1.4 million ad hoc staff, mostly National Youth Service Corps members, for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this during a strategic visit to the headquarters of the NYSC in Abuja alongside senior officials of the commission.
According to him, corps members have remained a major part of Nigeria’s electoral process for decades, serving as presiding officers and registration officials across polling units nationwide.
Amupitan described the visit as a mission to appreciate the NYSC for its consistent support in ensuring successful elections in the country.
He revealed that during the 2023 general elections, INEC deployed about 1.2 million ad hoc staff, with corps members and student volunteers accounting for more than 70 percent of the workforce.
The INEC chairman explained that the commission would require over 707,000 corps members for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
Another 707,000 personnel would also be needed for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections fixed for February 6, 2027.
He added that additional staff would be deployed for off-cycle governorship elections and bye-elections expected in several states across the country.
Amupitan praised corps members for their neutrality, discipline, patriotism, and digital skills, especially in operating the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System during elections.
According to him, corps members played a critical role in protecting the integrity of elections across over 176,000 polling units nationwide.
He also assured the NYSC leadership that INEC was working to improve the welfare, insurance, and security arrangements for corps members participating in election duties.
Responding, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, commended the partnership between the two organisations.
He described corps members as reliable and patriotic young Nigerians capable of supporting credible elections.
Nafiu stated that the outgoing generation of corps members would soon be replaced by more digitally skilled Gen Z graduates whose ICT knowledge would strengthen electoral operations.
The NYSC boss also appealed for better welfare packages and compensation for corps members deployed during elections.
He assured INEC of the scheme’s full commitment to mobilising corps members and administrative staff for the 2027 polls.
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