The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has warned corps members willing to participate in the 2023 general election to be neutral and apolitical.

The Acting Director General of NYSC, Christy Uba, said this while addressing corps members at the Mbaukwu/Umuawulu Permanent Orientation camp, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday.

Uba said election duty was voluntary for corps members and those who wished to take part must eschew all forms of malpractice that could undermine the integrity of the poll or reputation of the scheme.

She stated that the NYSC would not hesitate to surrender any corps member with a proven case of electoral malfeasance to the state to face the laws of the land.

“If you are to participate in the 2023 election, please not that it is an ad hoc assignment, you must be neutral and apolitical.

“Do not participate in a wrong manner, you are not a politician as corps members, you may be in future but for now, you are corps members.

“If you run foul of any electoral law, you are going to prison, NYSC can not cover you up, once they come for you stating that you ran foul of the law, we will surrender you to the state.

“Participation in election is voluntary, it is optional, you gave a choice to make but if you have decided to participate, make sure you take part in all the trainings and sensitisation so that you can understand your role and boundaries,” the acting DG said.

Uba commended the corps members for their good behaviour in camp while charging them to go to their places of primary assignment and contribute to national development through service to communities.

She thanked the Anambra State Government for building a good orientation camp for the scheme and urged other states in the country which were yet to build a permanent camp to do so.

The Ag DG enjoined the corps members to imbibe all the training they were getting in camp and invest in post camp entrepreneurial skill acquisition, to help them master their various trades and be job creators.

On his part, the NYSC Coordinator, Ekene Iruma, said the cultural carnival was part of the programmes of the scheme aimed at encouraging cultural interaction among youths.

Iruma said the corps members in camp, including those posted to Delta State, adapted the cultures well as seen in their performance, adding that such understanding would help them live harmoniously with their host communities.