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The chairman of the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has
solicited the cooperation of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in
the upcoming voters’ registration exercise and the 2011 elections.

Mr Jega made the request yesterday when he paid a courtesy visit to the director-general of the corps, Maharazu Tsiga.

The chairman said
that corps members were the leaders of tomorrow and so a very strong
partner in the “Nigerian project.” “We need patriotic, selfless and
energetic stakeholders for the voters’ registration and for proper
elections next year,” said Mr Jega.

Better treatment

Mr Jega assured the
NYSC management that, under the new commission, issues like the late
payment of corp members’ allowances and other logistical problems,
would be a thing of the past. He said the commission would be happy to
sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the corps, to serve as a
guideline for subsequent engagements between the two organisations.

Mr Tsiga assured
the commission that its request would be promptly approved, but
requested that additional resources be included for corps members’
safety and comfort.

He asked that
identity cards be prepared, to avoid impersonation by fake corps
members. He also appealed to the chairman to ensure that vehicles are
provided for the members so that they can easily locate their duty
posts.

The INEC chairman
also solicited the cooperation of the Radio, Television and Theatre
Arts Union (RATTAU) to assist the commission in mobilizing Nigerians to
come out and register. He said the commission needed the cooperation of
the media so that its activities are not jeopardized.