The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is facing mounting pressure from various political parties in Nigeria regarding its readiness for the 2027 general elections. This pressure stems from the discovery of suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other irregularities in the preliminary voters' register. As a result, concerns have been raised about the credibility of the electoral database and the commission's internal monitoring systems. With the elections approaching, several political parties have urged INEC to address these issues and demonstrate its preparedness through concrete actions.
INEC's preliminary voters' register, which was uploaded on October 26, contains over 103.4 million registered voters. This figure includes more than 93 million voters recorded in the 2023 register and additional registrations from the continuous voter registration exercise. According to INEC's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Lawrence Bayode, some registration officers allegedly used their official login credentials to introduce irregular entries, including AI-generated photographs, into the database. However, Bayode assured that the commission had identified those responsible and was taking steps to address the problem before the final register is published on December 15, 2026.
The controversy surrounding the preliminary voters' register has elicited reactions from various political parties. The Labour Party described the discovery as disturbing and argued that INEC needed to take urgent steps to restore public confidence. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, expressed concern that the development was happening under the leadership of the current INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan. Asogwa emphasized that the proximity of the elections made the situation particularly worrying, given that it is occurring less than 90 days before the crucial election.
In contrast, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed confidence in INEC's ability to resolve the problem. The PDP's National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, acknowledged that complaints had emerged from different quarters over the inclusion of AI-generated photographs in the register. However, he noted that the commission's admission of the problem and its promise to correct the irregularities were encouraging. Mohammed argued that the emergence of AI-generated images in the database did not necessarily mean the entire electoral process had been compromised.
The Allied People's Movement (APM) warned that the use of artificial intelligence in the electoral process must not undermine the objective of conducting credible elections. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, emphasized that INEC must exercise caution and ensure that technology is deployed responsibly. Yusuf insisted that the 2027 elections must be acceptable, credible, and verifiable, warning that anything short of that would raise questions about the commission's conduct.
Other political parties, including the Social Democratic Party, also raised serious concerns about the development. While some parties believe the discovery exposes serious weaknesses in INEC's preparations, others have expressed confidence in its ability to correct the anomalies before the final voters' register is released. The controversy has highlighted the need for INEC to strengthen its technological systems and demonstrate its readiness through concrete actions rather than assurances.
As the 2027 general elections approach, INEC faces the challenge of addressing the concerns raised by various political parties and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. The commission's ability to conduct credible elections will depend on its capacity to correct the irregularities in the preliminary voters' register and prevent similar issues from arising in the future. Ultimately, the credibility of the electoral process will be crucial in determining the legitimacy of the election outcome.
Key points
- INEC faces pressure from political parties over its preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
- The commission has identified and is addressing irregularities in the preliminary voters' register.
- Various political parties have expressed concerns and called for INEC to take concrete actions to restore public confidence.
