2019: ‘INEC needs 10,603 support staff for elections’

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu has declared that the Commission would require 10,603 staff to support the various collation and declaration processes of the 2019 elections. He also acknowledged that Nigerian universities have contributed immensely to pool of ad- hoc human resources during elections in the past. He said the Commission needs the support of the universities to source the requisite number of interested academic staff on the understanding that this is essentially a national service. He said this while meeting with Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities in Abuja on Thursday. Yakubu appreciated the National Universities Commission for supporting the electoral processes, stressing that without the involvement of tertiary institutions, especially the Universities, the INEC will find it extremely difficult to conduct credible elections. Speaking of the enormity of electioneering assignment, the chairman said “Collation of results will take place in 8,809 Registration Areas or Wards, 774 Local Government Areas and 36 States and the FCT. In addition, we require Returning Officers for the elections” He added that the Commission always appreciates the support of the Vice Chancellors and the collaboration with the universities often under strenuous circumstances, promising to continue to work together in collective effort to consolidate the country’s democracy. “At the polling unit level, the critical segment of election duty staff is drawn from products of our Universities and polytechnics involved in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. “For the various collation and declaration centres, the Commission draws the required Collation and Returning Officers from the academic staff of our Universities, including the Vice Chancellors who serve as Returning Officers for Governorship elections and Collation Officers for the Presidential elections. “It has been a happy collaboration which has further enhanced the transparency and credibility of the elections in Nigeria as well as public confidence in the process. The Commission wishes to sustain and deepen this collaboration. “As in previous elections, we have requested each University for a specified number of academic staff as contained in my letter to the Vice Chancellors. Staff who are card carrying members or have participated in partisan politics should not be nominated. Similarly, those who may not be involved in partisan political activities but are known to have obvious political leanings should not be nominated”, he said.. Yakubu promised to that the Commission will carefully scrutinise the list which must be submitted confidentially in the manner prescribed by Commission in my letter to the Vice Chancellors. Tunde Opalana, Abuja