INEC to Deploy 1.4 Million Corps Members for 2027 Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will deploy more than 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the 2027 general elections across the country.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, at the Yakubu Gowon House in Abuja.
Amupitan described the meeting with the NYSC management as more than a routine engagement, noting that it was an opportunity to appreciate the critical role corps members have continued to play in Nigeria’s electoral process since 1999.
According to him, INEC cannot successfully conduct elections in Nigeria without the support of the NYSC.
“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.”
The INEC chairman noted that corps members remain the backbone of the commission’s ad hoc workforce, especially during major election exercises.
He recalled that during the 2023 general elections, the commission engaged about 1.2 million ad hoc personnel, with more than 70 percent drawn from NYSC members and student volunteers.
Providing details of preparations for the 2027 polls, Amupitan said 707,384 corps members would be deployed for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
He added that another 707,384 corps members would be engaged for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027, bringing the total number to 1,414,768.
The INEC chairman further disclosed that an additional 52,446 corps members would be needed for 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 percent of the registration area officers and presiding officers,” he said.
“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.”
Amupitan also praised the digital skills of corps members, saying their technological proficiency contributed significantly to the successful deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during previous elections.
“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,” he added.
The INEC chairman, however, acknowledged the risks associated with election duties and assured that the commission would continue working with security agencies and the NYSC to improve the safety and welfare of corps members deployed for electoral assignments.
“We are constantly refining our insurance and welfare packages to reflect the value we place on their lives,” he said.