The Obidient Movement, a prominent group in Nigeria, has expressed concerns over the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) plan to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the 2027 general elections. National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, stated that the priority should be on resolving outstanding concerns around electoral transparency, result transmission, and public confidence in the electoral process before introducing more advanced technology.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, had disclosed that the commission had commenced the deployment of AI tools to assist officials in detecting discrepancies and administrative errors in election results. The commission's aim is to intensify preparations for the 2027 elections and expand its focus on the opportunities and risks associated with emerging technology. INEC has also been working on measures to deal with AI-generated disinformation that could affect the credibility of the elections.
The Obidient Movement has raised fresh questions about the proposed use of AI in the electoral process, which INEC needs to answer before the technology can be deployed on a wider scale. Tanko argued that Nigerians deserve to know the exact role AI will play in the electoral process, the problems it is designed to solve, and the measures that will be put in place to prevent manipulation. He emphasized that the same INEC that has failed to address basic issues surrounding electoral transparency and credibility is now planning to deploy AI.
The 2023 general election generated intense debate over the performance and reliability of some of the technologies used during the exercise. The Independent National Electoral Commission faced questions over the operation of its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) and the uploading of polling-unit result sheets. A recent investigation by Mundx Analytics examined metadata connected to presidential result sheets from the 2023 election and raised questions about the devices used to upload some of the results to the IReV platform.
The Obidient Movement has called on INEC to make its full 2027 election plan available to Nigerians, including the technologies it intends to use, the procedures that will guide their operation, and the safeguards that will be applied. The group also demanded an independent audit of INEC's electoral technology systems, which should be made public, alongside details of any weaknesses discovered and the steps taken by the commission to correct them.
Tanko emphasized that introducing AI into a system that has yet to account for its existing failures is not electoral reform, but an attempt to distract Nigerians from fundamental questions of institutional independence, transparency, and accountability. He called for a result transmission process that can be independently verified at every stage and for INEC to explain in detail how its proposed AI systems will function.
The Obidient Movement's concerns have been echoed by various stakeholders, who believe that INEC should prioritize addressing existing electoral challenges before introducing new technologies. With the 2027 elections approaching, INEC Chairman Amupitan still has an opportunity to address the concerns raised by the movement and other Nigerians.
Key points
- The Obidient Movement rejects INEC's plan to deploy AI tools in the 2027 general elections.
- The group demands that INEC addresses existing concerns around electoral transparency and credibility before introducing new technologies.
- An independent audit of INEC's electoral technology systems has been requested by the Obidient Movement.
