The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria has flagged 268 records in its preliminary Register of Voters for suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other irregularities. This development comes as the commission prepares for the 2027 general elections and begins a process to clean up the database. The commission's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, disclosed this information on Channels Television's Sunday Politics.
According to Bayode, the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) identified the questionable records for further examination. The flagged records are currently being reviewed by the commission. Bayode explained that some individuals allegedly exploited a special registration option designed for persons with disabilities who have incomplete fingers or no fingers to create questionable voter profiles.
The special registration option, known as special registration, was among the loopholes allegedly exploited by those responsible for the irregularities detected by the system. Bayode stated that the commission had commenced the process of removing the affected records from the preliminary register. He clarified that photographs enhanced with artificial intelligence would not automatically lead to the exclusion of affected voters.
The distinction lies between genuine photographs improved with AI applications and images generated entirely by artificial intelligence. Bayode emphasized that those who used AI to enhance their pictures, not generate them, would still be on the register. The development follows the publication of INEC's preliminary Register of Voters on its website on October 26, which triggered public outrage after screenshots circulated on social media showing suspicious photographs attached to voter records.
The controversy generated concerns over alleged duplicate registrations, the appearance of names of deceased persons, and complaints by some registered voters that their details were missing from the online register. Various stakeholders, including political leaders and civil society figures, reacted to the concerns, questioning the credibility of the registration process and demanding explanations from the electoral commission.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, called for a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation into the alleged irregularities. Kwankwaso urged the commission to make the findings of its investigation public and hold anyone found culpable accountable. Other stakeholders, including Pat Utomi and Dr. Moses Paul, also expressed concerns over the development, demanding explanations from INEC.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, stated that the commission is examining the records and would take corrective action based on verified findings. The commission is expected to complete the necessary verification, adjudication, and data-cleanup processes before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026. The commission defended the publication of the preliminary register, explaining that the online version released on October 26 was the same document physically displayed at Registration Areas nationwide between October 9 and 15.
Key points
- INEC has identified 268 questionable records in its voter database due to suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other irregularities.
- The commission has commenced the process of removing the affected records from the preliminary register.
- INEC aims to complete the verification, adjudication, and data-cleanup processes before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
