- Amupitan described corps members as indispensable to Nigeria’s electoral process
- He stated that INEC could not successfully conduct elections without the involvement of NYSC members
- The chairman explained that corps members provide the bulk of election manpower at polling units nationwide
Independent National Electoral Commission has revealed plans to deploy more than 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps for the 2027 general elections across the country.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, made this known on Monday during a visit to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja, where he met with the Director-General of the scheme, Olakunle Nafiu, Eko Hot Blog reports.
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According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the meeting served as both a courtesy visit and an appreciation of the long-standing partnership between the electoral commission and the NYSC.
Amupitan described corps members as indispensable to Nigeria’s electoral process, noting that the commission has relied heavily on them for election duties since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
He stated that INEC could not successfully conduct elections without the involvement of NYSC members, whom he described as disciplined, educated and patriotic personnel.
The chairman explained that corps members provide the bulk of election manpower at polling units nationwide, helping to strengthen neutrality and public confidence in the electoral system.
He disclosed that INEC engaged about 1.2 million ad hoc workers during the 2023 general elections, with nearly 850,000 of them being corps members and student volunteers.
For the 2027 elections, he said the commission would require a total of 1,414,768 ad hoc personnel for both the presidential and National Assembly elections, as well as governorship and state assembly polls.
According to him, 707,384 personnel will be deployed for the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the same number will be needed for the governorship and House of Assembly elections fixed for February 6, 2027.
Amupitan also noted that an additional 52,446 corps members would be needed for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and several by-elections in states including Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano.
He praised corps members for their role in safeguarding the credibility of elections, especially in difficult terrains across the country.
The INEC chairman further highlighted the contribution of NYSC members to the successful use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System during recent elections, describing them as the technology-driven backbone of modern electoral operations.
He assured that INEC would continue collaborating with the NYSC and security agencies to improve the safety and welfare of corps members participating in elections.
Responding, Brigadier General Nafiu reaffirmed the NYSC’s commitment to supporting INEC during the 2027 general elections and upcoming off-cycle polls.
He noted that the partnership between both institutions dates back to 2011 and described corps members as reliable and easy to train for election duties.
Nafiu also pointed out that the increasing number of digitally skilled Gen Z corps members would further strengthen election management in Nigeria.
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