2027 Elections: INEC To Mobilise 1.4 Million NYSC Members

According to Ireporter Online, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deploy more than 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as ad hoc staff for the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, made this known on Monday during a strategic visit to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja, where he led a delegation comprising National Commissioners, senior officials, and aides. The team was received by the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, alongside top management of the scheme at the Yakubu Gowon House.

Professor Amupitan described the engagement as a gesture of appreciation to the NYSC, which he said has remained a vital pillar in Nigeria’s electoral process since the return to democracy in 1999. He emphasized that corps members have consistently played key roles as presiding and registration area officers across polling units nationwide.

He further disclosed that INEC would require 707,384 corps members for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and a similar number for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections set for February 6, 2027. Additional personnel, he noted, would also be needed for off-cycle governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as bye-elections across several states including Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi, and Kano.

Highlighting their performance in previous elections, Amupitan commended corps members for their discipline, neutrality, and efficiency, particularly in the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). He revealed that in the 2023 elections, about 1.2 million ad hoc staff were engaged, with over 70 percent drawn from corps members and student volunteers.

He also assured that measures were being strengthened to improve the welfare, insurance, and security of corps members deployed for election duties, noting the risks associated with their assignments.

In response, NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Nafiu reaffirmed the scheme’s commitment to supporting INEC in delivering credible elections, describing corps members as dependable and patriotic youths with strong ICT capabilities. He added that the evolving generation of corps members would further enhance electoral processes due to their digital proficiency.

Nafiu also appealed for improved welfare and compensation packages for corps members involved in election duties, stressing that adequate motivation would sustain their dedication to national service.

The NYSC leadership pledged full cooperation with INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections, reaffirming its role in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.