By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will mobilise over 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the 2027 general election.
The Chairman of INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, made this known during a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, at the Yakubu Gowon House, headquarters of the NYSC in Abuja, on Monday.
Prof. Amupitan, who described the meeting with the NYSC senior management team as an honour, noted that he was not just on a formal courtesy visit, but on a mission of profound gratitude.
According to him, in the complex architecture of Nigeria’s democracy, there is no pillar more vital than the NYSC.
He emphasised that corps members have participated in most election cycles since 1999 and added, “I dare say that INEC cannot conduct elections in Nigeria without the NYSC.”
He said, “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.
“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.
“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.”
Putting the partnership between INEC and the NYSC into perspective, Prof. Amupitan referenced institutional data from the 2023 general election.
He explained that for the 2023 election exercise, INEC deployed approximately 1.2 million ad hoc staff, noting that over 70 per cent of that massive workforce — nearly 850,000 individuals — were drawn from the ranks of the NYSC and student volunteers.
Speaking on the workforce required for the forthcoming 2027 elections, the chairman said over 1.4 million ad hoc staff would be engaged, with corps members forming the majority, as usual.
The INEC chairman said, “For the 2027 general election, we will need 707,384 ad hoc staff (corps members) for the Presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027. The same number will be required for the Governorship and Houses of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027, making a total of 1,414,768.
“For the Ekiti State and Osun State governorship elections, as well as the bye-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano states, we will need 52,446 corps members.”
Prof. Amupitan emphasised that in many states, corps members accounted for nearly 90 per cent of the 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 stressed that beyond the general election, the corps’ contribution has been pivotal in off-cycle engagements, notably during the Anambra Governorship Election and the FCT Area Council polls.
“In those exercises, 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. Their resilience ensured that the democratic process in the Anambra and FCT council polls remained uninterrupted despite local complexities,” he added.
He also acknowledged that the contributions of the corps members had often come at a heavy price, noting that the commission does not take this for granted.
He said the commission remained committed to working with the NYSC and security agencies to ensure that safety protocols are strictly enforced to protect every corps member on duty, adding, “We are constantly refining our insurance and welfare packages to reflect the value we place on their lives.”
As the 2027 general election, scheduled for January 16, 2027, fast approaches, Amupitan emphasised the importance of full mobilisation and preparedness of NYSC members for the national assignment.
“In addition to the general elections, we are also preparing for the off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states on June 20 and August 16, respectively, as well as various bye-elections, which will serve as critical litmus tests for our innovations before the 2027 general election.
“These elections provide further opportunities to strengthen our democracy, and again, the support and participation of NYSC members will be crucial. We are committed to working closely with your agency to ensure proper training and mobilisation of all ad hoc staff needed for these elections.
“I am here to formally request your continued support,” he added.
While thanking INEC for its collaboration with the NYSC and the renewed vigour for partnership, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General O. O. Nafiu, recalled that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations was finalised in 2011 and has been periodically renewed.
The DG said corps members are credible, reliable, and easily trainable manpower.
“The last batch of millennials will exit the corps soon, leaving behind Gen Z corps members known for their digital savviness, which will benefit INEC,” the DG said.
He promised that the NYSC would contribute not only to the 2027 general elections but also to the off-cycle elections.
He assured INEC of the NYSC’s continued support to ensure successful elections ahead.
