Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2027 election, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate and prosecute officials allegedly involved in manipulating the preliminary voters' register. The alleged manipulation involves the introduction of artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other questionable entries. Atiku Abubakar made the demand following revelations that some INEC registration officers abused their access to the voter registration system.
The former vice-president described the development as a serious breach of INEC's internal safeguards and raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. He urged INEC to identify the officials implicated in the alleged misconduct and explain what disciplinary or legal measures had been taken against them. Atiku Abubakar also called for an independent forensic audit of the preliminary voters' register to establish the scale of the alleged manipulation.
INEC's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, disclosed that some registration officers across the country allegedly used their official login credentials to introduce irregularities into the voters' database. Dr Bayode explained that the Commission's Automated Biometric Identification System helped identify questionable records and establish how some irregularities entered the system. He clarified that not all suspicious photographs were AI-generated, as some resulted from poor registration procedures.
The controversy has intensified calls for greater transparency and accountability in the management of the voters' register as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 general elections. INEC has maintained that the published document is a preliminary register and that it is reviewing questionable records ahead of the certification of the final Register of Voters. The development followed public concerns over suspected AI-generated photographs, alleged duplicate entries, and other inconsistencies discovered in the preliminary voters' register published online on October 26, 2026.
Atiku Abubakar also demanded that INEC preserve all relevant voter records, image files, system access logs, and electronic audit trails to prevent the destruction or alteration of evidence before an independent examination could be conducted. He further insisted that the Commission disclose the identities of companies contracted to produce sensitive election materials ahead of the 2027 polls, arguing that transparency was essential to building public confidence in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has warned that anyone who threatens, intimidates, or attacks the Commission's ad-hoc staff, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, or permanent personnel during the 2027 General Election will face the full weight of the law. Prof. Amupitan gave the warning during the South-South Zonal Readiness Assessment and Interactive Staff Engagement organised ahead of the 2027 general elections in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that the South-South engagement was part of a series of zonal assessments to ensure operational preparedness across the 123 Local Government Areas in the six South-South states. He explained that his physical presence across the geopolitical zones reflected the Commission's field-first approach, emphasising that electoral integrity must be established through effective operations at the grassroots.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar demands investigation into INEC officials over alleged manipulation of voters' register
- INEC Chairman warns against threats to electoral personnel during 2027 elections
- INEC conducts zonal assessments to ensure operational preparedness for 2027 elections
