Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner Mike Igini has warned that the credibility of Nigeria’s upcoming elections hinges on the integrity of the ad hoc workers who will manage polling units, rather than solely on the commission’s senior leadership or technological deployments.
Speaking during a television interview, Igini emphasized that the individuals responsible for verifying voters, managing election materials, and recording results are not permanent INEC staff. He argued that public confidence in the electoral process could be severely damaged if the identities or impartiality of these temporary workers are in doubt, stating, “The people that are going to conduct these elections are not the regular permanent staff of INEC. Nigeria needs to focus on the people that are going to conduct this election.”
Igini urged the agencies that supply temporary election workers to ensure their submission lists are accurate and that recruits are properly verified. He called on INEC to independently scrutinize these lists rather than relying exclusively on the submitting agencies, warning that political interests could infiltrate the recruitment process. He recalled an incident in Akwa Ibom State during his tenure as a commissioner, where officials discovered unverified individuals, including a market woman, on a list purportedly sourced from a university. “We discovered that mercenaries were sent in on that list,” Igini said, noting that he halted the training session to investigate the irregularity.
Concerns Over NYSC and Identity Verification
The former commissioner’s concerns extend to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which he identified as a key source of polling-unit officials. Igini warned that recruitment lists could be compromised, stating, “The list is infiltrated.” He cited a separate controversy from the 2023 elections in Rivers State, alleging that an ad hoc worker who announced results claimed to be a lecturer at a college, a status that journalists could not verify with the institution. Although this specific claim was not independently verified, Igini used it to illustrate the need for robust identity checks to ensure that the person attending training is the same individual serving at the polling unit.
Igini stressed that accountability requires clear answers regarding which institutions will provide ad hoc staff and how INEC will prevent political interference in recruitment. He noted that while INEC senior officials will not be present at every polling unit, the quality of supervision over temporary staff is central to the process. He also encouraged party agents and voters to actively monitor proceedings, advising agents to audit election materials and document the process, including capturing clear images of the original Form EC8A after results are recorded.
“The most important staff that Nigeria should focus on will be the presiding officers,” Igini advised, adding that the power of the people at the polling unit is significant because voters typically outnumber election officials.
As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, Igini’s warnings highlight the necessity for transparent recruitment and rigorous verification processes. He argued that if the individuals entrusted with the polling-unit process are not properly recruited, trained, and supervised, citizens may struggle to trust the electoral outcome, regardless of the technology deployed by the commission.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
