INEC to deploy 1.4 million ad hoc staff for 2027 elections — Amupitan

The Independent National Electoral Commission says it will deploy approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide for the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Tuesday during a meeting with the International Republican Institute’s Pre-Election Assessment Mission delegation led by former United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Jendayi Frazier, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Amupitan said the scale of the deployment reflected the enormous logistical operation required to conduct the 2027 elections.

He said, “In 2027, INEC will deploy a workforce of approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 Polling Units nationwide.”

The INEC chairman said the commission was already implementing an operational roadmap ahead of the elections, including Continuous Voter Registration and a comprehensive audit of the voter register.

According to him, the commission will deploy its Automated Biometric Identification System to identify and eliminate duplicate voter records and maintain an accurate register.

He added that INEC was also strengthening its logistics system through early deployment frameworks and partnerships with transport unions to ensure the timely opening of polling units.

Amupitan said the commission would also improve access to polling units and provide specialised assistive devices for persons with disabilities, pregnant women, nursing mothers and elderly voters.

The chairman said INEC’s recent off-cycle elections had provided an opportunity to test its technology, logistics and security arrangements ahead of the 2027 polls.

He noted that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the electronic display of polling unit result sheets through the INEC Result Viewing portal had recorded upload rates of above 98 per cent in recent off-cycle elections.

“Technology has permanently closed the door on legacy voting vulnerabilities, ensuring that the ballot box alone determines electoral outcomes,” he said.

Amupitan, however, acknowledged that security threats, electoral violence, vote-buying, hate speech, disinformation and foreign information manipulation remained major challenges to the electoral process.

He said INEC was working with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, to address the threats.

The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission would later on Tuesday participate in the signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns by presidential candidates under the auspices of the National Peace Committee.

He said the visit by the IRI delegation, which began on August 11 and is expected to end on August 21, was timely, particularly as public campaigns for the 2027 general elections are scheduled to commence on Wednesday.

Amupitan said INEC welcomed international election observation missions as institutional partners whose assessments and recommendations could help strengthen the electoral process.

He assured the delegation of the commission’s transparency and full cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Our sole mandate is to serve as an uncompromising, impartial umpire dedicated to delivering a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election that reflects the sovereign will of the Nigerian people,” he said.