INEC recruits 814,453 ad hoc staff for elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission has told the National Council of State that it has concluded the identification and recruitment of 814,453 ad hoc staff for the forthcoming general elections.

According to the commission, arrangement for the timely receipt and speedy distribution of sensitive materials had also been made.

INEC also expressed its commitment to the provision of a level-playing field to its “numerous publics and a qualitative, seamless and ‘hassle-free’ electoral services for the electorate in all our actions and operations.”

The chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, stated this in his presentation to the National Council of State at the Presidential Villa, in Abuja on Tuesday. The presentation slide was given to journalists on Wednesday.

Yakubu said, “The 2015 general election was a watershed in the history of our democracy. INEC is fully aware of the enormity of conducting the 2019 general elections and will spare no effort at safeguarding the integrity and credibility of our elections and the consolidation of our democracy.

“The identifications and recruitment of 814,453 ad hoc staff for the election is concluded and training will commence on January 23 (Wednesday).

“The 2019 general elections will be the largest single-day peacetime logistics and security undertaken by the commission since 1999 with 84 million voters, 91 political parties, 23, 213 candidates vying for 1,558 positions, involving over 814,000 electoral officials.

“The conduct and delivery of credible elections by safeguarding and defending the transparency and integrity of the electoral process is a sacred duty that the commission will discharge honourably within constitutional and legal framework in order to nurture, sustain and continuously deepen democracy in our country.”

The commission recalled that the Continuous Voter Registration was undertaken between April 27, 2017 and August 31, 2018 in its 774 Local Government Area Offices and designated centres nationwide on continuous basis as prescribed by law.

“At the end of the exercise and following laid down procedures, the commission verified and confirmed 14,283,734 new registrants. The total number of registered voters for the 2019 general elections is 84,004,084.”