INEC Partners NYSC, to Deploy 1.4 Million Corps Members for 2027 General Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to mobilise over 1.4 million ad hoc personnel—largely drawn from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)—for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
This was disclosed during a strategic courtesy visit by the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, who led a delegation of National Commissioners, the Commission’s Secretary, directors, and senior aides to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja.
The delegation was received at the Yakubu Gowon House by the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, alongside senior management of the scheme.
Speaking during the engagement, Prof. Amupitan described the visit as more than a routine courtesy call, characterising it as a “mission of profound gratitude” to what he described as a critical partner in Nigeria’s electoral process.
He reaffirmed the longstanding reliance of INEC on corps members, noting that they have consistently formed the backbone of election administration since 1999, particularly as Presiding Officers and Registration Area Officers across the country’s polling units.
According to him, during the 2023 general elections, INEC deployed about 1.2 million ad hoc staff, with over 70 per cent—approximately 850,000 personnel—comprising corps members and student volunteers.
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Looking ahead to 2027, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the Commission would require 707,384 corps members for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for 16 January 2027, and an equal number for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections slated for 6 February 2027. He added that additional personnel would be required for off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, as well as bye-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi, and Kano States.
Prof. Amupitan commended corps members for their patriotism, neutrality, and operational competence, particularly in the deployment of electoral technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
“In many states, corps members accounted for nearly 90 per cent of Registration Area Officers and Presiding Officers. They safeguarded the integrity of the electoral process across 176,846 polling units nationwide,” he stated.
He further assured that INEC was taking steps to strengthen welfare, insurance coverage, and security arrangements for corps members engaged in election duties, given the risks associated with electoral assignments.
In his response, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Nafiu, commended the enduring partnership between both institutions, describing corps members as a dependable and adaptable workforce for electoral operations.
He reaffirmed the NYSC’s readiness to fully support INEC in delivering credible elections, noting that the scheme’s evolving composition would further enhance digital competence in election administration.
“The last batch of millennials will soon exit the scheme, leaving behind a generation of digitally savvy Gen Z corps members whose ICT skills will significantly support modern electoral processes,” he said.
Brigadier General Nafiu also called for improved welfare, compensation, and insurance provisions for corps members deployed for electoral duties, stressing that such measures would further enhance commitment and efficiency.
He assured INEC of the continued readiness of the NYSC to provide both corps members and administrative support towards the successful conduct of future elections and the strengthening of Nigeria’s democratic process.
By PRNigeria
