Viral INEC recruitment message, false

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Ukashatu Wakili

Claim: A viral WhatsApp message claims that Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, is recruiting 266 ad-hoc staff for the upcoming elections across Nigeria.

Verdict: False. INEC officials have confirmed that the WhatsApp message and associated recruitment link are not genuine.

Full Text

As Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released its official timetable for the 2027 general elections, a viral WhatsApp message began circulating, claiming that INEC is recruiting 266 ad hoc staff to support its electoral activities nationwide.

Part of the message reads, “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) invites suitably qualified candidates from all states to fill vacant positions to support its upcoming electoral activities across the country. Shortlisted candidates will be notified by email.”

This comes amid preparations for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council elections scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.

Given the potential scams around election recruitment, DUBAWA decided to verify the message and associated recruitment link.

Verification

DUBAWA investigated the website linked in the WhatsApp message and found that it is not an official INEC platform.

Technical examination revealed that the website is hosted on Google’s Blogspot platform, a free blogging service, and does not belong to INEC’s domain.

DUBAWA further contacted Zainab Aminu, an official in INEC’s publicity department, who described the recruitment message as fake. 

“INEC conducts ad-hoc staff recruitment only through its official platform, known as INECPRES. Any link outside this official portal should be treated with suspicion,” she clarified.

Conclusion

The viral WhatsApp message claiming that INEC is recruiting 266 ad hoc staff did not originate from the electoral body. Therefore, the claim is false.