The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deploy more than 1.4 million ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general election, with the majority drawn from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
INEC Chairman Visits NYSC Headquarters
INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan made the disclosure during a strategic courtesy visit to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja. The delegation included National Commissioners, directors, and senior officials. They were received by the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, and members of the scheme’s management team at the Yakubu Gowon House.
Role of Corps Members in Elections
Professor Amupitan emphasized that corps members have been central to Nigeria’s electoral process since 1999, particularly in voter accreditation and polling unit administration. He noted that the 2023 general election involved approximately 1.2 million ad hoc workers, with over 70 percent—nearly 850,000 personnel—comprising corps members and student volunteers.
Breakdown of 2027 Election Personnel Needs
For the 2027 elections, INEC will require 707,384 corps members for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027. An additional 707,384 corps members will be deployed for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027. Extra personnel will also be needed for off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as bye-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi, and Kano states.
INEC Praises Corps Members’ Contribution
Amupitan commended corps members for their commitment, discipline, and neutrality during election duties. He stated that in many states, corps members accounted for nearly 90 percent of Registration Area Officers and Presiding Officers. They protected the sanctity of the ballot across 176,846 polling units nationwide. He also praised their ability to effectively operate the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), a key component of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Improved Welfare and Security Promised
The INEC chairman acknowledged the risks corps members face during election activities and assured the NYSC leadership that the commission is working to improve welfare and security measures. Efforts are underway to strengthen insurance coverage, welfare packages, and safety arrangements for corps members deployed during elections across the country.
Previously, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed criticized INEC over the scheduling of activities for the 2027 general elections, describing it as insensitive for key political party primaries to overlap with the Hajj period. He spoke on May 7 during a farewell ceremony for intending Muslim pilgrims at the Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar Hajj Camp in Bauchi.
