African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has demanded a minimum wage of ₦500,000 for staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arguing that electoral workers must be adequately paid for Nigeria to conduct credible elections.
Sowore made the demand in a post on his verified X account on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, following comments by INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, that the commission’s staff are among the least-paid workers in Nigeria.
“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. INEC staff deserve a minimum wage of N500,000. Electoral integrity must begin with decent working conditions and a living wage for the people entrusted with administering our elections.”
Sowore also said he would support INEC workers if they chose to demand improved working conditions through lawful industrial action.
“If these workers continue to be treated with contempt, I will join them to boycott the 2027 elections, they have every right to organize and demand better conditions, including through lawful industrial action.”
His comments followed Amupitan’s disclosure that INEC had taken steps to improve staff welfare, including removing the commission from the civil service salary structure and adopting a separate electoral and salary structure.
Amupitan said better remuneration was necessary if the commission was to demand accountability from its personnel ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sowore’s proposal has generated mixed reactions online, with some users supporting higher wages for electoral workers while others questioned the relationship between salaries and electoral integrity.
Reactions
@Onye_e: Why is inec complaining now 3 months to election about poor renumeration, is this another excuse to rig elections by collecting bribes
@diepole: This guy just dey throw money anyhow. It’s like Sowore is the new money na water, but I would like to know how much you pay your staff,
@SammieYong: You’re ready to boycott the elections because you have nothing at stalk in the forthcoming election
@officialhossana: So, Nigerians don’t deserve living wages? You just dey jump on anything without proper reasonings. Boycott the election biko
@OkoliStephenIz3: So you are justifying INEC to officials rigging election because they are underpaid. You are a big fool.
@AdvantageDenni1: Thiefnubu boy
@maccarefoundtn: This man will be worse than the last guy
@Griffy121225: Gbam
@OnyeFestus: This guy rest abeg
