BREAKING: INEC To Deploy 1.4 Million Corps Members For 2027 Elections

Abuja, Nigeria– The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, has disclosed that the electoral body will deploy more than 1.4 million ad hoc staff, largely drawn from members of the National Youth Service Corps, for the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan made the disclosure  on Monday during a strategic courtesy visit by a high-powered INEC delegation to the NYSC headquarters, Yakubu Gowon House, in Abuja.

The delegation, which included National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, directors and senior aides, was received by the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, alongside members of the scheme’s senior management team.

Speaking during the meeting, the INEC chairman described the visit as “a mission of profound gratitude” to the NYSC, which he said had remained indispensable to the conduct of elections in Nigeria since 1999.

According to him, corps members have consistently served as the backbone of the commission’s electoral operations, particularly as Presiding Officers and Registration Area Officers across polling units nationwide.

Amupitan revealed that during the 2023 general elections, INEC deployed about 1.2 million ad hoc staff, with over 70 per cent — nearly 850,000 personnel — comprising corps members and student volunteers.

Giving a breakdown of preparations for the 2027 elections, he stated that INEC would require 707,384 corps members for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and another 707,384 for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections slated for February 6, 2027.

He added that additional personnel would also be needed for off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as bye-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano states.

“In many states, corps members accounted for nearly 90 per cent of Registration Area Officers and Presiding Officers. They protected the sanctity of the ballot across 176,846 polling units nationwide,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chairman further praised corps members for what he described as their patriotism, neutrality, discipline and digital competence, particularly in the operation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

He, however, acknowledged the dangers associated with election duties and assured the NYSC leadership that INEC would strengthen insurance coverage, welfare packages and security arrangements for corps members deployed during elections.

Responding, NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Nafiu commended the long-standing partnership between both institutions, describing corps members as “credible, reliable, patriotic and easily trainable manpower.”

He said the scheme remained committed to supporting INEC in delivering free, fair and credible elections across Nigeria.

“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.

The NYSC DG also appealed for improved welfare, compensation and insurance packages for corps members participating in election assignments, stressing that adequate support would motivate them to continue serving diligently.

He assured INEC that the NYSC would fully mobilise corps members and administrative personnel for the forthcoming elections as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.