The Independent National Electoral Commission (Independent National Electoral Commission) has announced plans to deploy over 1.4 million ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general elections, with a significant portion expected to come from the National Youth Service Corps (National Youth Service Corps).
This disclosure was made during a strategic visit by the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (Joash Amupitan), who led a high-level delegation of National Commissioners, directors, and senior officials to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja, the capital city of Abuja.
The delegation was received by the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu (Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu), alongside members of the scheme’s top management team at the Yakubu Gowon House.
During the engagement, Professor Amupitan described the visit as more than a routine courtesy call, calling it a “mission of profound gratitude” to the NYSC for its longstanding support in strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system.
He emphasized that corps members have remained central to election administration in Nigeria since 1999, particularly serving as Presiding Officers and Registration Area Officers across polling units nationwide.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the INEC chairman revealed that the commission plans to deploy 707,384 corps members for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
A similar number will also be required for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections set for February 6, 2027.
He further noted that additional personnel will be needed for off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as bye-elections across several states including Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi, and Kano.
Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, Amupitan stated that INEC deployed about 1.2 million ad hoc staff, with over 70 percent nearly 850,000 individuals being corps members and student volunteers. He praised their performance, noting their discipline, neutrality, and increasing digital competence, especially in the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
According to him, corps members have, in many instances, made up as much as 90 percent of electoral officers in some states, contributing significantly to the conduct of elections across 176,846 polling units nationwide.
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He also acknowledged the risks associated with election duties and assured the NYSC leadership that INEC is working to strengthen welfare packages, insurance coverage, and security arrangements for corps members deployed during electoral duties.
