The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially commenced the recruitment of ad-hoc staff for the upcoming Osun State Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026. The commission is calling on qualified and eligible Nigerians to apply for various positions through its online portal.
Application Period and Portal
The online application portal will be open from Saturday, June 27, 2026, until midnight of Saturday, July 18, 2026. Interested applicants must access the portal at pres.inecnigeria.org to register. The announcement was made via the commission's official X handle @inecnigeria on Monday, June 29, 2026.
Available Ad-hoc Staff Positions
INEC is seeking applicants for the following roles: Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs), Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs I, II, III), Registration Area Technicians (RATECHS), and RAC Managers. Each position has specific qualification requirements.
Qualification Requirements
For SPOs, applicants must be staff on GL 12-14, with priority given to qualified staff of NYSC, NOA, NIMC, and NPC. RAOs and other INEC staff not engaged in other duties (GL 08-14) are also eligible. POs and APOs must be serving corps members (2024, 2025, or 2026 batches), students in their penultimate year, or permanent staff with OND or NCE and on GL 07-10. RAC managers must be heads of schools or staff of the school hosting the RAC, on GL 07 and above. RATECHS must be suitable ICT staff of the commission not engaged in other duties.
Eligibility and Restrictions
Applicants must not be members of any political party and must not have demonstrated or expressed support for any candidate or party. This is a strict requirement to ensure impartiality during the electoral process.
Public Reactions and Concerns
Nigerians have reacted to the recruitment announcement on social media, raising concerns about payment and safety. User @t_josephOC asked, "Can 22 corp members apply and how much is it... That last general election where i was PO in one poling unit in ilaro was somehow. Thwy paid us just 29k with sleepless day and night for 3 days. Which kind rubbish payment is that. I am expecting 100k upward." Another user, @Emmashe_himself, shared a negative experience: "2019 elections, I worked as INEC Ad-hoc staff (APO 1). The only thing I got was the training allowance of 4k. After filling in our account numbers on the payments forms. They resorted in paying in cash n that's how I was not paid because I was not around (i returnd to school)." @kings__ley urged INEC to disclose payment amounts: "Please indicate how much will be paid to po and Apo's who participate... the ekiti own we participated i don't understand the small amount we received." @UdochukwuE46339 called for technological innovation: "Please use technology to replace the human interface, please lets be innovative for once in this country." @tman_adam expressed safety fears: "I would have applied for the purpose of experience but I am afraid for my safety."
Political Context of the 2026 Osun Election
The Osun State governorship election is expected to be highly competitive. Political analyst Omotayo Yusuf, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, projected that the winner may emerge through the courts rather than the ballot box due to internal crises within major political parties. Notably, Governor Ademola Adeleke defected from the PDP to the Accord Party ahead of the primaries, adding to the political drama.
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke appointed his nephew, popular musician Davido, as the youth campaign leader for his re-election bid. The appointment sparked widespread reactions from Nigerians.
