The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced plans to deploy more than 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps for the 2027 general election across the country.
Gatekeepers News reports that INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit to Olakunle Nafiu at the Yakubu Gowon House in Abuja.
Amupitan described the meeting with the NYSC management team as more than a routine visit, saying it was an opportunity to appreciate the role corps members have consistently played in Nigeria’s electoral process.
According to him, NYSC members have been central to election operations since 1999, stressing that the commission cannot successfully conduct elections without their support.
“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.”
He added that corps members remain the backbone of the commission’s ad hoc workforce.
“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,” he stated.
The INEC chairman revealed that about 1.2 million ad hoc personnel were deployed during the 2023 general election, with more than 70 percent consisting of corps members and student volunteers.
Providing details for the 2027 elections, Amupitan said 707,384 corps members would be required for the presidential and national assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the same number would be needed for the governorship and state assembly elections on February 6, 2027.
“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,” he said.
He further disclosed that an additional 52,446 corps members would be deployed for governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as bye-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano states.
Amupitan noted that in several states during previous elections, corps members made up nearly 90 percent of registration area officers and presiding officers.
“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.
He also praised the corps members for their role in operating the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), describing them as the “tech-savvy backbone” of Nigeria’s democracy.
“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 acknowledged the risks often faced by corps members during election duties and assured that the commission would continue collaborating with the NYSC and security agencies to improve their welfare and safety.
“We are constantly refining our insurance and welfare packages to reflect the value we place on their lives,” he said.
