INEC Says Corps Members Critical To Credible Elections

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Independent National Electoral Commission has said corps members will continue to play a major role in the 2027 general elections.

INEC disclosed that it plans to deploy more than 1.4 million ad hoc staff for the elections, with most of them expected to be members of the National Youth Service Corps.

The chairman of INEC, Joash Amupitan, made this known during a visit to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja.

According to him, corps members have remained important to Nigeria’s electoral process since the country returned to democracy in 1999.

Amupitan said INEC relied heavily on corps members during the 2023 general elections, where over 850,000 of the 1.2 million ad hoc staff used for the exercise were corps members and student volunteers.

He explained that for the 2027 elections, INEC would need 707,384 ad hoc staff for the presidential and National Assembly elections, and another 707,384 for the governorship and state assembly elections, bringing the total to over 1.4 million personnel.

The INEC chairman praised corps members for their dedication and neutrality during elections, adding that they helped protect the credibility of the voting process across the country.

He also said the digital skills of corps members played a key role in the successful use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System during recent elections.

Amupitan assured that INEC would continue working with the NYSC and security agencies to improve the welfare and safety of corps members during election duties.

Responding, the Director-General of the NYSC, Olakunle Nafiu, thanked INEC for the partnership between both organisations and promised continued support ahead of the 2027 elections.

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