INEC to Deploy 1.4m Ad Hoc Staff for 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it plans to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel for the 2027 general election.

The commission made this known on Tuesday when it received a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI), led by its president, Dan Twining, for a pre-election assessment mission in Abuja.

The IRI delegation is in Nigeria from August 11 to 21 to assess INEC’s preparedness for the 2027 elections and identify areas where international collaboration and technical support could strengthen the electoral process.

Speaking during the meeting, Joash Amupitan, INEC chairman, said the personnel would be deployed across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

Amupitan said INEC is also strengthening its logistics, expanding early deployment strategies and improving coordination with transport unions to ensure the timely movement of election materials and personnel.

He described the IRI mission as timely, coming shortly after the Osun governorship election and ahead of the commencement of campaigns for the 2027 general election.

The INEC chairman said recent off-cycle elections and legislative by-elections had served as operational tests for the commission’s electoral technology, logistics and security arrangements.

He noted that the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) and INEC result viewing (IReV) portal had maintained high operational reliability, with result-upload rates exceeding 98 percent in recent elections.

According to him, the commission is also implementing reforms to improve voter registration through online registration, continuous updates to the voters’ register and measures to ensure the accuracy of voter records.

Amupitan said INEC would also expand measures to make elections more accessible to persons with disabilities, pregnant women, nursing mothers and elderly voters.

He identified misinformation, disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence as emerging threats to electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 polls.

The chairman said INEC had established an AI-focused unit to develop protocols for the responsible use of technology and counter false information that could undermine public confidence in elections.

Amupitan reiterated that INEC would remain neutral and have no preference for any political party or candidate.

He said the commission’s responsibility was to conduct elections that reflect the will of Nigerians, citing the recent Osun governorship election as part of its efforts to deliver credible and peaceful polls.

He also acknowledged the need to improve voter turnout in future elections.

On his part, Twining said the IRI mission was aimed at supporting a competitive, peaceful and credible electoral process in Nigeria.

He said the delegation would assess INEC’s preparations, identify potential challenges and explore how the international community could support the country’s democratic process.

“We know how committed Nigerians are to exercising their democratic rights,” Twining said.

“Our interest is a competitive, peaceful and credible election in Nigeria, and we look forward to learning how we can support that objective.”