The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has said it will employ over 15,000 ad hoc workers for the conduct of the September 22 governorship election.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State, Mr Olusegun Agbaje, broke the news yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting with party leaders in Osogbo, the state capital.
He said the commission would do everything possible to conduct a free and fair election in the state.
Agbaje said the commission had recruited over 14,000 out of the over 15,000 ad hoc workers needed for the election.
The REC said INEC had engaged different ad hoc workers’ sources, such as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Federal establishments and tertiary institutions in the state.
He added: “As we speak, we have sourced over 90 per cent of the ad hoc workers who will participate in the conduct of the election.
“The NYSC management promised us over 8,000 of their youth corps members. They will form the large chunk of our ad hoc workers.
“The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has provided us with 3,000 personnel/students, while the Federal Polytechnic at Ede has assured us of 2,000 personnel, plus students, out which 1,500 has been received.
“The over 70 other Federal establishments in the state would also be providing us with 1,000 of their members who will participate in the conduct of the election.”
Agbaje urged the 48 political parties that will take part in the election to advise the electorate to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) for the election.
The REC said INEC had been carrying out voter education and public enlightenment campaigns, adding that many PVCs were yet to be collected by registered voters.
He said about 540,658 PVCs were still with the commission and enjoined voters in the state to come out and collect their PVCs.