Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has demanded a minimum monthly wage of ₦500,000 for the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Sowore issued the statement on Tuesday evening, October 6, 2026, via a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account. He warned that the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system is compromised when electoral officers are inadequately compensated.
Sowore’s call was in direct response to comments made earlier on Tuesday, October 6, by the Chairman of INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan. Speaking during an official engagement at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, Amupitan lamented that commission staff remain among the lowest-paid public servants in Nigeria despite the high-pressure nature of their duties.
Reacting to the chairman’s remarks, Sowore argued that expecting electoral workers to remain impartial and resist political corruption while earning poor wages is unrealistic.
”No decent wages, no credible elections,” Sowore stated. “Nigeria’s electoral workers must be well paid. INEC staff cannot be expected to safeguard the integrity of our elections while being poorly compensated. Electoral integrity must begin with decent working conditions and a living wage for those entrusted with administering our elections.”
The AAC candidate also pledged solidarity with electoral officers, backing their right to embark on lawful industrial actions to force a review of their compensation package. He further warned that he would join workers in boycotting the upcoming 2027 general elections if their conditions of service are not urgently improved.
”If these workers continue to be treated with contempt, I will join them in boycotting the 2027 elections. They have every right to organise and demand better conditions, including through lawful industrial action,” Sowore added.
The demand comes as part of Sowore’s broader economic campaign platform ahead of the 2027 election cycle, in which he has consistently advocated for a general ₦500,000 living minimum wage for all Nigerian workers.
As of Wednesday, neither the Federal Government nor official representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Employment have issued a formal response to the AAC candidate’s proposal.
