Ondo Guber: INEC Ad-hoc Staff Protest Unpaid Allowances

Over 17,000 ad-hoc staff who worked for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State have threatened to stage a protest due to unpaid allowances. These staff members were deployed across the state after undergoing training, with INEC promising to pay them under N20,000 for their services on Election Day.

Speaking with reporters in Akure, the affected workers expressed frustration over the delayed payments, with some criticizing the commission for failing to honor its commitment. One of the workers, who served as a Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO), voiced disappointment, stating that despite weeks passing since the election, INEC has yet to fulfill its promise. “We are still waiting for our allowances,” the SPO said. “INEC has not communicated with us, and many of us are severely impacted.”

Another ad-hoc staff member appealed to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and other stakeholders to intervene and urge INEC to settle the outstanding payments. “If we do not receive our allowances by Tuesday, we are prepared to stage a peaceful protest at the INEC office,” they stated, adding that they felt “used and abandoned” by the commission.

In response, Temitope Akanmu, INEC’s spokesperson in Ondo State, assured the public that payments had begun. She explained that most of the payments had been processed, but some ad-hoc staff were experiencing banking issues that had delayed their disbursements. “We are working closely with the affected staff to resolve these issues,” Akanmu said, emphasizing that the delays were due to typical banking challenges and that all outstanding payments would be made soon.