INEC, NYSC Strengthen Ties, Plan 1.4 Million NYSC Members for 2027 Elections
Ahead of the 2027 general and upcoming off-cycle elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strengthened its partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),...
Ahead of the 2027 general and upcoming off-cycle elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has strengthened its partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), announcing plans to deploy more than 1.4 million corps members as ad hoc poll staff.
The announcement was made today during a strategic meeting between INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan and NYSC Director-General Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu at the NYSC headquarters, Yakubu Gowon House, in Abuja.
Speaking at the meeting, Professor Amupitan acknowledged the role of corps members in the Nigerian electoral system, noting that with adequate manpower, NYSC corps members contribute more to electoral success in Nigeria by covering more ground during the polls, as nearly 90 percent of the registration area officers and presiding officers are corps members.
Professor Amupitan went on to say that the electoral commission deployed approximately 1.2 million ad hoc staff for the 2023 election, with more than 70% of that massive workforce coming from the ranks of the NYSC and student volunteers.
In that regard, the INEC chairman said corps members would again play a key role in the 2027 general elections, with a total of 1,414,768 personnel to be deployed. He explained that 707,384 corps members would be needed for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while the same number would be required for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
“As the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I am honoured to have the opportunity to discuss our collaborative efforts toward ensuring a seamless and credible electoral process in Nigeria,” he said.
“You provide the heartbeat of our field operations. When we speak of election manpower, we are essentially speaking of your corps members. They are the most dedicated, educated, and patriotic election duty staff we have, and their presence at the polling units brings a level of neutrality and public confidence that is irreplaceable.
“They form the backbone of our election processes, especially as ad hoc staff, whose dedication, discipline, and patriotism are critical to the success of our elections.” “For the 2027 general election, we would need 707,384 ad hoc staff (corps members) for the Presidential and National Assembly election on January 16, 2027; the same number would be required for the Governorship and Houses of Assembly election on February 6, 2027, making a total of 1,414,768,
“It was the digital proficiency of your corps members that ensured the seamless performance of our bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS), proving they are the tech-savvy backbone of our modern democracy. Their resilience ensured that the democratic process in the Anambra and FCT council polls remained uninterrupted despite local complexities,” he said
Speaking about the off-cycle elections, Professor Amupitan explained that the commission would be deploying 52,446 corps members for the off-cycle elections in Ekiti State and Osun, which are coming in June and August 2026, respectively. He added that corp members would also function for the other off-cycle polls ahead.
“For the Ekiti State and Osun State governorship elections and the bye-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano states, we will need 52,446 corps members.”
“These young Nigerians did not just facilitate voting; they protected the sanctity of the ballot in 176,846 polling units across the most difficult terrains of this country,” he said.
“We are constantly refining our insurance and welfare packages to reflect the value we place on their lives,” he said.
NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu responded to the INEC chairman by praising the long-standing collaboration between the two institutions and characterising corps members as “credible, dependable, patriotic, and easily trainable manpower”.
The NYSC director also noted the generational changes among the corps members, stating that the scheme would soon start having a new generation who are technologically competent and proficient to support INEC in delivering free, fair, and credible elections across the country.
“The last batch of millennials will soon exit the scheme, leaving behind a generation of digitally savvy Gen Z corps members whose ICT proficiency will greatly support modern electoral operations,” Nafiu said.
Brig. Gen. Nafiu also made an appeal for better welfare, pay, and insurance benefits for corps members taking part in election assignments, emphasising that sufficient assistance would encourage them to keep up their diligent service to the country.
He gave the INEC chairman his word that the NYSC would continue to play a crucial role in bolstering Nigeria’s democracy and would fully mobilise corps members and administrative staff for the upcoming elections.
No Comment! Be the first one.