Date: 2019-02-19

Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), recruited for the 2019 general elections in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Saturday protested the non-payment of their allowances by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The corps members as well as unemployed graduates, not fewer than 150, hauled insults and abuses at the officials of INEC for failing to pay N8,500 training and feeding allowances promised by the commission.

The protesting youths accused the officials of an attempt to embezzle their allowances which was supposed to have been paid on the eve of the election.

As at 12 noon on Saturday, many of them were yet to receive their payment.

When they could no longer bear the delay, the protesters restrained INEC officials from moving outside the premises until the last person was paid.

One of the protesters, Azeem Ayobami, said he has been at INEC office since Friday in preparation for deployment to his duty station.

"Many of us slept on the bare floor overnight just to be around for deployment," he said.

The N8,500 is our allowance for the 4-day training and feeding which the INEC had promised to pay on Friday February 15, 2019.

Since the elections have been postponed to February 23, the INEC recruits demanded that their allowances be paid promptly before returning to their various homes.

"We could not leave because we did not have money to go back home. They should at least pay us something to go back home."

Though, some of the recruits received their payment, majority were asked to come back on Monday.

"They [the INEC] have motive of not paying. If election is to hold today, won't they pay us," said Ayobami who was urging his colleagues to stay resilient until their demand was granted.

Ayilara Abdulwahab, recruited as Assistant Presiding Officer, said he would not leave until he is paid.

According to him, their colleagues in other local governments have been paid.

"We called our friends in other local government areas (on phone), and we are told they have been paid," he said.

Explaining reasons why the fund is inadequate to go round, the Electoral Officer at the INEC office in Akerebiata, Ilorin, Bamidele Olabode, said he did not withdraw enough fund from the bank for security reason.

"It is not safe moving large amount of money around at this time. The little amount collected has been shared among some of them, but it is not enough."

Olabode who was visibly shaken by the rage of protesters said he has called the bank to bring additional cash.

"In less than one hour, they will bring the money," he said.

About 1 pm, a red Nissan car with registration number GGE240CZ, brought the cash, and the protesters went into wild jubilation.

When contacted on the telephone last night, the spokesperson of INEC in Kwara State, Barr. Jacob Ayanda denied knowledge of the incident.

Ayanda said that the ad hoc staff have all been paid saying those who were not paid on Saturday got their payment yesterday.

"The news is strange. I'm not sure people were not paid, they were paid. Some were paid that night, some early in the morning," he stated.