Over 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps will be deployed for the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said on Monday.
The commission said in the complex architecture of Nigeria’s democracy, there is no pillar more vital than the NYSC.
The Chairman of INEC, Joash Amupitan, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, made this known during a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu in Abuja.
He emphasised that corps members have participated in most election cycles since 1999, and, “I dare say that INEC cannot conduct elections in Nigeria without the NYSC.”
Amupitan 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.”
Amupitan referenced institutional data from the 2023 general election by putting the partnership between INEC and the NYSC into perspective.
For the 2023 election exercise, he said INEC deployed approximately 1.2 million ad hoc staff, adding that it was a staggering fact 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 being in the majority as usual.
He 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.”
The INEC Chairman emphasised 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.
Amupitan 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.
While thanking INEC for the collaboration with the NYSC and the renewed vigour for partnership, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General O. O. Nafiu, recalled that the MOU between the two organisations was finalised in 2011 and was periodically renewed. The DG said corps members are credible, reliable, and easily trainable manpower.
The DG promised that the NYSC would contribute not just to the 2027 general elections but also to the off-cycle elections.
