By Uzair Adam
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it cannot successfully conduct elections in Nigeria without the support of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), as it formally requested the deployment of more than 1.4 million corps members for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, made this known on Monday during a courtesy visit to the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, at the scheme’s headquarters in Abuja.
He emphasised the critical role corps members play in election operations, describing them as the backbone of the commission’s fieldwork.
According to him, their neutrality and dedication continue to inspire public trust at polling units across the country.
Amupitan disclosed that 707,384 corps members would be needed for the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, with the same number required for the governorship and state assembly elections slated for February 6, 2027. This brings the total to 1,414,768 personnel.
He added that an extra 52,446 corps members would be deployed for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, as well as bye-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi, and Kano states.
The projected figures mark an increase from the 2023 general elections, where about 1.2 million ad hoc staff were engaged, with over 70 percent drawn from NYSC members and student volunteers.
In many states, corps members made up nearly 90 percent of registration area officers and presiding officers.
Reflecting on their performance, Amupitan noted that corps members not only facilitated voting but also upheld the integrity of the electoral process across thousands of polling units, even in challenging terrains.
He acknowledged the risks involved in election duties and assured that the commission is improving welfare and insurance packages to better protect and support them.
Looking ahead, the INEC chairman said the commission is preparing for off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti on June 20 and Osun on August 16, describing them as important tests for new innovations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In his response, NYSC Director-General Nafiu recalled that the partnership between both institutions dates back to a memorandum of understanding signed in 2011, which has been renewed over time.
He maintained that corps members remain dependable and adaptable, noting that the transition to a new generation of digitally skilled participants would further enhance election processes.
He assured that the NYSC would continue to provide full support for upcoming elections, including both the off-cycle polls and the 2027 general elections.
