INEC Faces Mounting Pressure Over Suspected AI-Generated Voter Images Ahead of 2027 Elections

Susan Abayomi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is facing mounting pressure from major political parties following the discovery of suspected Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated photographs in the preliminary voters’ register published on its website ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The development has triggered demands for an independent investigation, a comprehensive audit of the voter database and greater transparency, with some political parties questioning the credibility of the commission’s leadership.

The controversy has drawn reactions from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), all of which have called on INEC to provide detailed explanations about the suspicious entries and establish how they passed through its verification processes.

The concerns have emerged barely three months before the January 16, 2027 general election, raising questions about the reliability of the country’s voter database and the potential implications for electoral credibility.

The APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, called for an independent and transparent investigation to determine whether the suspicious photographs resulted from technical failures or deliberate attempts to compromise the voter database.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda cautioned against making unsubstantiated accusations against political parties or individuals, stressing that electoral integrity should take priority over partisan interests.

He said the investigation must establish the origin of the photographs, how they were uploaded and whether existing security measures were breached.

Yilwatda also urged INEC to provide Nigerians with verifiable findings before the final certification of the voters’ register scheduled for December 15, 2026.

While expressing confidence in the commission’s ability to conduct credible elections, he warned that the growing sophistication of AI technology posed new threats to electoral processes through fabricated identities, manipulated information and misleading election-related content.

The ADC, however, adopted a stronger position, demanding greater accountability from the commission and questioning the ability of its leadership to guarantee a credible electoral process.

The party’s Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, argued that the preliminary nature of the voters’ register should not excuse irregularities or weaknesses in INEC’s verification procedures.

He demanded disclosure of the number of affected records, the origin of the suspicious photographs, whether Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had been issued against the questionable entries and the identities of those responsible for any established breaches.

Shaibu maintained that although the discovery did not automatically establish an attempt to manipulate the 2027 elections, it exposed vulnerabilities that could be exploited to create fictitious voter identities and undermine public confidence.

He consequently challenged the INEC chairman to restore confidence through a transparent investigation and a verifiable voters’ register, warning that failure to do so should warrant his resignation.

Similarly, the National Leader of the NDC, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, described the development as a national embarrassment, insisting that Nigerians deserved clear answers about the authenticity of the country’s voter database.

Dickson expressed concern over INEC’s announcement that the country had approximately 103 million registered voters, arguing that the commission must establish that the figures represent genuine and eligible voters rather than fictitious or duplicated identities.

He urged INEC to disclose the extent of the suspected irregularities and explain the measures being implemented to address them.

The former Bayelsa State governor also called on Nigerians to participate actively in scrutinising the preliminary voters’ register during the public display exercise and report suspicious names, photographs and other discrepancies to the appropriate authorities.

The PDP, while acknowledging INEC’s decision to investigate the matter, warned that the commission must address all identified shortcomings before the 2027 elections.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, commended the commission for acknowledging the concerns and promising to examine its systems, describing the response as an encouraging indication of its willingness to address possible weaknesses.

He, however, cautioned that technical failures would not be acceptable as an explanation for any shortcomings capable of undermining the credibility of the elections.

Beyond the political parties, former INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye also raised concerns about the commission’s handling of the preliminary voters’ register.

Okoye alleged that INEC failed to publish the register online within the period stipulated by law and only made it available following public pressure.

Citing Sections 19 and 9(6) of the Electoral Act, 2026, he maintained that public display of the voters’ register was a statutory responsibility that the commission was required to fulfil.

He warned that failure to comply with electoral provisions could further weaken public confidence in the institution.

Okoye also alleged that attempts to compromise voter registration records were not new, claiming that some political actors had previously sought the cooperation of registration officers to manipulate voter information.

He disclosed that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise had recorded 10,772,421 registrations, stressing the need for thorough verification and accountability.

The former commissioner urged INEC to investigate any registration officers found culpable and ensure that individuals or sponsors implicated in criminal conduct were referred to law enforcement agencies for prosecution.

INEC has acknowledged public concerns over the suspicious photographs and commenced an investigation, assuring Nigerians that identified irregularities would be addressed before the final certification of the voters’ register.

With the December 15 certification deadline approaching, the commission is under increasing pressure to establish the source and scale of the questionable entries, demonstrate the effectiveness of its verification systems and reassure Nigerians that only genuine and eligible voters will be included in the register for the 2027 general elections.