By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
MORE THAN 1.4 million National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members will be required to support the 2027 General Election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has projected.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, at the scheme’s National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.
Five National Commissioners also accompanied the INEC Chairman alongside the Secretary to the Commission, directors and technical aides.
Prof. Amupitan said the commission would require 707,384 Corps members for the Presidential and National Assembly election scheduled for January 16, 2027, and another 707,384 for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly election slated for February 6, 2027.
He added that 52,446 additional Corps members would be needed for the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and bye elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano states.
The INEC Chairman described the NYSC as indispensable to election management in Nigeria and said Corps members remained the commission’s largest source of ad hoc election personnel.
“When we speak of election manpower, we are essentially speaking of your Corps members,” Prof. Amupitan said.
“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 recalled that INEC deployed about 1.2 million ad-hoc staff during the 2023 General Election, with more than 70 per cent, nearly 850,000 personnel, drawn from NYSC members and student volunteers.
“In many states, Corps members accounted for nearly 90 percent of our Registration Area Officers and Presiding Officers. They protected the sanctity of the ballot in 176,846 polling units across the most difficult terrains of this country,” he said.
Prof. Amupitan also commended the digital proficiency of Corps members, particularly in the operation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and noted their role in recent off cycle elections including the Anambra Governorship Election and the FCT Area Council polls.
He acknowledged the sacrifices made by Corps members during election duties and assured the NYSC leadership of the commission’s commitment to improving their welfare and safety.
“We remain committed to working with the NYSC and security agencies to ensure that safety protocol is strictly enforced to protect every Corps member on duty,” he said.
Responding, NYSC Director General Brigadier General Nafiu reaffirmed the scheme’s readiness to support INEC in conducting credible elections.
“With the figure you have put forward for the next election, we may need to mobilise ourselves even to come and join the programme to make up for that number,” he said.
He said the scheme had begun strategic planning to build adequate manpower capacity ahead of the 2027 elections.
“What we bring to the table is highly competent, well educated, credible, neutral, easily trainable and patriotic Corps members,” he said.
General Nafiu also described the digital readiness of Corps members as an advantage for election management.
“Your success is our success. Your success is the success of democracy, rule of law and governance in Nigeria,” he said.
The visit reinforced the collaboration between INEC and the NYSC in the conduct of elections in Nigeria since 1999.
Seeks Police Support For 2027 Elections
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that security has been described as both the “first mile and the last mile” of Nigeria’s electoral process as the INEC intensified preparations for the 2027 General Elections.
Its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan made the remark during a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, where he sought the support and collaboration of the Nigeria Police Force ahead of the elections.
Prof. Amupitan congratulated the IGP on his appointment and expressed confidence in his leadership.
“We are confident that your vast experience and dedication will greatly enhance our collective efforts towards ensuring a safe and secure electoral process,” he said.
The INEC Chairman informed the police leadership that preparations had commenced for the 2027 General Elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly polls and February 6, 2027, for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
He said the release of the election timetable and ongoing political party activities, including ward congresses and conventions, had activated the electoral process, which he described as a “security trigger.”
Prof. Amupitan stated that political parties were expected to conduct their primaries in line with Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2026, which permits only direct primaries and consensus for candidate nominations.
He also highlighted the forthcoming off cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states alongside several bye elections across the country.
“These elections are crucial milestones in Nigeria’s democratic journey, and it is imperative that they are conducted peacefully and seamlessly,” he said.
The INEC Chairman identified electoral malpractices, vote trading and threats of violence as challenges undermining public confidence and posing risks to national security.
He stressed the need for proactive security measures and comprehensive risk assessments to identify potential flashpoints.
“The scale of insecurity across various parts of the country presents a threat to the conduct of free and fair elections. It is essential that we carry out thorough security risk analyses ahead of the elections,” he stated.
While acknowledging the Nigeria Police Force as the lead agency in election security, Prof. Amupitan pledged the commission’s cooperation and emphasised intelligence sharing, strategic planning and community engagement.
He described the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security as the “heartbeat” of operational safety during elections.
“Our success depends on ICCES moving from reactive policing to proactive intelligence coordination,” he said.
Responding, Inspector General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu assured the commission of the Nigeria Police Force’s readiness to provide security for the elections.
He said the police would carry out their responsibilities with professionalism, impartiality and adherence to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and other extant laws.
The IGP disclosed that the force had commenced strategic threat assessments and intelligence mapping nationwide to identify flashpoints and emerging security risks ahead of the elections.
According to him, political violence, proliferation of illegal arms, voter intimidation, cyber manipulation, misinformation and attacks on electoral infrastructure had been identified as priority concerns.
He said intelligence led deployments and preventive policing strategies would be adopted to neutralise threats before escalation.
Mr Disu also assured INEC of adequate security for electoral officials, sensitive materials, collation centres and other electoral infrastructure throughout the process.
“We will ensure that we enforce electoral laws firmly and we will do it professionally,” the IGP said.
He warned that officers engaging in partisan conduct or unethical practices would face disciplinary and legal consequences.
The police chief also called for early release and wide dissemination of the election timetable to support planning, logistics coordination, personnel training and inter agency collaboration.
He advocated stronger cooperation among security agencies through joint trainings, intelligence sharing and harmonised communication strategies.
The IGP further revealed plans to engage political parties through peace accords and stakeholder seminars aimed at promoting peaceful conduct before, during and after the elections.
He added that officers selected for election duties would undergo intensive training on electoral security management, human rights compliance, rules of engagement, crowd control and ethical conduct.
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