NIGERIA: INEC Opens Portal For Ad-Hoc Staff Recruitment Ahead Of 2026 Ekiti Governorship Poll

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The Independent National Electoral Commission has officially activated its recruitment portal for the engagement of ad-hoc staff to serve in the upcoming 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election.

The registration process, conducted through the INECPRES platform, commenced at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, and is scheduled to remain open until midnight on Monday, May 18, 2026.

This exercise is designed to gather eligible citizens to fill critical roles such as Supervisory Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers, Registration Area Tech Support Staff, and Registration Area Center Managers.

Eligibility for these positions depends on specific institutional backgrounds and professional standing. Supervisory roles are primarily open to permanent staff in the Federal Public and Civil Service as well as eligible INEC employees.

Presiding and Assistant Presiding Officer roles are targeted toward serving National Youth Service Corps members, former corps members who completed their service between 2022 and 2025, and penultimate students from Federal Tertiary Institutions.

Meanwhile, the position of Registration Area Center Manager is available to permanent staff of government agencies or heads of schools that will host the centers.

Technical support roles are strictly reserved for suitable INEC ICT staff from the commission’s headquarters or state offices.

The commission has established strict non-partisan guidelines for all prospective applicants. To ensure the integrity of the electoral process, individuals must not be members of any political party or have expressed support for any candidate.

Furthermore, all applicants are required to be residents of Ekiti State, with the exception of the technical support staff. Applications can be submitted through the official web and iOS portal or via a dedicated mobile application for Android users.

For those who have previously participated in the registration process since 2019, the commission allows for the updating of existing profiles rather than the creation of new ones. New applicants are required to start a fresh registration on the portal to be considered.

To assist with the process, the electoral body has provided several help desk contacts and a technical support email for inquiries throughout the duration of the recruitment window. This mobilization effort serves as a foundational step in the commission’s strategy to ensure a transparent and well-managed gubernatoria

l election in the state.