The Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed the vital role of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in the country’s democratic process, revealing plans to mobilise more than 1.4 million ad hoc staff for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this during a strategic courtesy visit to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja, where he led a delegation of national commissioners, directors and senior officials.
According to INEC, corps members have remained the backbone of election operations since 1999, serving mainly as presiding officers and registration area officers across the country.
During the 2023 general elections, about 1.2 million ad hoc staff were deployed, with more than 70 per cent made up of corps members and student volunteers.
Professor Amupitan 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 on February 6, 2027.
Additional personnel will also be needed for off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as bye-elections in several states.
He praised corps members for their patriotism, discipline, neutrality and digital competence, especially in operating the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
INEC also assured the NYSC leadership that it would strengthen insurance, welfare and security arrangements for corps members involved in election duties, while NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu described corps members as reliable and patriotic manpower essential to the electoral process.
