The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified irregularities in its preliminary voter register, attributing the appearance of suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs to actions by some registration officers. According to INEC's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Lawrence Bayode, some officers used their login credentials to introduce irregular records into the voter database. This was disclosed during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, October 30, 2026.
The irregularities were uncovered through INEC's Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which examined the registration records. Dr. Bayode explained that some registration officers across the country allegedly used their login details to log into the system and introduce irregularities. He noted that not all registration officers were involved, but some nationwide had done different things to bring these irregularities onto the register.
The ICT director revealed that while some suspicious photographs were generated using AI, others resulted from poor registration procedures. He stated that these irregularities got into the register because registration officers had access to register people. Dr. Bayode added that the commission had identified the questionable records and established how some irregularities occurred, but he could not explain the reasons behind the actions of the officers involved.
INEC had begun cleaning up the voter register before making the preliminary version available to the public, within the statutory 90-day period. Dr. Bayode's disclosure follows concerns raised over suspicious photographs and discrepancies after the commission uploaded its preliminary register of voters to its website on October 26, 2026. Screenshots circulated on social media showed photographs suspected to be AI-generated attached to voter records in parts of Edo State.
Other complaints involved alleged duplicate entries and reports by some registered voters that their details were missing from the online register. INEC had earlier explained that the online version was the same preliminary register displayed physically at Registration Areas across the country from October 9 to 15 for the Display, Claims and Objections exercise.
In a statement issued on October 27, INEC said it had identified and flagged some questionable records during the physical display and had commenced a review to correct the irregularities. The commission clarified that the published document was not the final certified register, adding that the online release did not capture all the data-cleanup activities still underway.
The commission's review aims to correct the irregularities and ensure the accuracy of the voter register. INEC's efforts to clean up the register are ongoing, with the goal of ensuring a credible and transparent electoral process. The incident highlights the need for strict monitoring and evaluation of registration processes to prevent such irregularities in the future.
Key points
- INEC attributes AI-generated photos in voter register to irregularities by registration officers
- The irregularities were uncovered through INEC's Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS)
- INEC has begun cleaning up the voter register within the statutory 90-day period
