Election: INEC re-enlists corps members in Lagos as ad hoc staff

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says over 95 per cent of corps members in Lagos State have been re-enlisted as the ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)in the forthcoming general elections.

Mr Mohammed Momoh, the State Coordinator of NYSC, spoke with our reporter on Thursday in Lagos, on preparations for the Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Momoh said that the corps members were ready for the elections, adding they had been told that working as INEC ad hoc staff was voluntary.

“We told them anybody that still want to participate as ad how staff should put down their names.

“I know that over 95 to 97 per cent of corps members initially mobilised have re-enlisted to work as INEC ad hoc staff on Feb. 23 general elections in Lagos State.

“The number is overwhelming; they have re-registered their names to be part of the INEC ad hoc staff.

“Even, those that were not trained originally wanted to join, and we said no, it is impossible, without training, you cannot work,” he said.

Momoh said that the corps members were asked to re-enlist in order to give those who might no longer be interested the opportunity to opt out.

“Corps members were asked to re-enlist, so that if you do not want to be part of it, you opt out to avoid including people that are not ready to do the work.

“INEC will also be disappointed after posting corps members, and they now realised that they are not available.

“That was why we took that measure and the list has been submitted accordingly.

“I do not have the total list yet, as the names were still coming in; we are sending it out to INEC and INEC is doing the posting.

“If they still want to be part of the election process in spite of the regrettable situation of the last time, they should re-enlist,” he said.

When asked the number of corps members that have opted out, Momoh said the list was not available, adding that only a very few may not want to be part of the process again.

“Definitely, some of them may not want to do again, but I do not have the statistics.

“But, I know that overwhelmingly, they are ready to participate.

“Like any human endeavour, few may say, okay I don’t want to do again but they will equally get their stipend for where they stopped, we have been given that assurance during my meeting with the REC,” he said.

The state coordinator said the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos State, had at a meeting, said there would be one INEC official in each Registration Area Centre (RAC) where the corps members would be stationed.

“I had a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos on Feb. 19, where he said in each Registration Area Centre (RAC), there will be an INEC staff.

“This was part of what was missing on Feb. 16.

“Definitely, we have been assured that there will be drastic improvement in the welfare and logistics arrangement for the RACs.

“We are preparing, we have been promised by INEC that there will be more provision of logistics, mats, mattresses and toilets.

“We have been assured that there will be electricity; we have been assured that there will be adequate security,” Momoh said.