Safeguarding 2027 From “AI Voters”

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general election have suffered another credibility setback following the discovery of suspected AI-generated photographs and questionable entries in the voters’ register published by the INEC.

Will fictitious identities and improperly registered individuals find their way into the final register and potentially vote? INEC has acknowledged the irregularities.

On October 30, its Director of ICT, Lawrence Bayode, disclosed that some registration officers had allegedly abused their official access credentials to introduce questionable records.

While some photographs were AI-generated, others resulted from poor registration procedures.

The commission says its Automated Biometric Identification System detected the anomalies and that investigations and corrective measures are underway.

Opposition figures and concerned Nigerians are screening for accountability and questioning how such records passed through INEC’s verification systems.

ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar had criticised the commission’s failure to make the register accessible online during the statutory display period.

He argued that announcing voter numbers without allowing public scrutiny undermines transparency.

Under Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2026, INEC must display the preliminary register physically and online for seven days. Citizens have 14 days to submit objections concerning ineligible or deceased persons and claims relating to omitted names.

Section 20 provides for revision officers to determine such claims, with appeals to the Resident Electoral Commissioner.

Importantly, appearing in a preliminary database does not automatically confer voting rights.

Only eligible, properly registered voters whose records survive verification should appear on the certified register and be accredited to vote. Now some are apparently AI-generated.

Since only INEC can identify every citizen captured in the register, it is almost impossible for political parties and election observers to ascertain the extent of the problem.

This follows contentious debates over the electronic transmission of results and statutory requirements compelling political parties to submit membership registers.

Each development has intensified anxieties about the integrity of the electoral process.

Why should Nigerians have confidence in an electoral umpire struggling to demonstrate that its own database is reliable?

INEC must publish a comprehensive account of the irregularities, culpable officials, resolve legitimate objections, and provide unrestricted public access to corrections before certification.

INEC should not take the electorate for granted and must demonstrate transparency. With the final register scheduled for certification on 15 December, Nigerians deserve verifiable assurances that every eligible vote counts and every fictitious identity is excluded.