2019: INEC employs 16,500 ad-hoc staff in Osun

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State said it had trained and employed 16,695 ad-hoc staff, in the state, for the forthcoming general elections.

Mr Olusegun Agbaje, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state made this disclosure during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo on Thursday.

Agbaje said the ad-hoc staffs were sourced from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Federal tertiary institutions and Federal Government establishments in the state.

“Ten thousand, five hundred and ninety four corps members; 3,360 students of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, 1,295 students of Federal Polytechnic, Ede and 1,446 federal civil servants will be engaged for February and March elections.

“The ad-hoc staff employed would serve as Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) during the elections,” he said.

Abgaje said that the training of the ad-hoc staff had been concluded, adding that the commission followed electoral laws and guild lines in selecting credible and dependable officers for the elections.

He said that apart from the ad-hoc staff, 332 Supervisory Presiding Officers, 363 Collation Officers and 38 Returning Officers had also been trained for the election.

He, however, called on the electorate who registered for the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) but yet to collect them, to ensure they do so before the deadline for collection.