Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that only National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members are authorised election officers to handle the Bimodal Voter Authentication System (BVAS) during the February 25 and March 11 general elections.
Speaking after a tour of the training centre for INEC’s ad-hoc staff or presiding officers, and inspection of facilities of the national collation centre at the International Conference Centre (ICC) on Saturday, February 18, Yakubu said corps members were mobilized because INEC can’t just rely only on its workforce for the conduct of a credible and peaceful election.
He further revealed that corps members handling the BVAS will be tracked on election day. Yakubu said;
“Nigeria is fortunate to have young citizens like you. There is no way INEC can conduct elections without the NYSC. You are simply indispensable in the conduct of elections in Nigeria. We cannot conduct elections with our workforce alone.
“So we have to rely on you and other categories of staff. But you are going to operate at the most important level of the electoral system; at the polling unit levels because that is where citizens go and vote. All of you will swear an oath of neutrality.
“Your loyalty is to Nigeria and Nigerians and not to any political party or any candidate. You will be the INEC Chairman at your polling unit. You are the king at the polling units.
“You are the only ones that will handle the BVAS at polling units on election day. Take this job seriously. We are tracking you as well so that we can know who is holding which BVAS. Do not give this BVAS to someone else.”