The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has faced criticism from opposition groups and concerned Nigerians following its announcement that it plans to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into parts of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed that the commission had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division within its Information and Communications Technology Department. The initiative is intended to strengthen the verification of election results, identify irregularities and protect the commission’s digital infrastructure against cyberattacks.

Speaking in Abuja during a press conference and national stakeholders’ meeting marking 100 days to the first ballot of the 2027 elections, Amupitan explained that automated AI auditing tools were being integrated into the commission’s results verification procedures.

According to him, the proposed system would operate under a five-pillar AI governance framework, with mandatory human oversight. He also disclosed that INEC was finalising a policy to regulate the deployment of the technology.

The commission intends to use AI-powered anomaly detection systems to monitor database traffic and protect its public-facing platforms against cyber intrusions and unauthorised alterations.

However, the announcement has generated controversy, with critics questioning whether the technology can be deployed safely and transparently within the available timeframe.

INEC Warns Against AI-Generated Election Disinformation

While outlining the benefits of the proposed technology, Amupitan acknowledged that the growing sophistication of generative AI, voice cloning and deepfake videos presented significant risks to electoral credibility.

He warned that malicious actors could exploit these technologies to produce fabricated statements attributed to election officials, manipulate result sheets and circulate counterfeit official documents.

“Generative AI, voice cloning and deepfake videos now make it cheap to fabricate the voices of election officials, doctored result sheets and fake letterheads and to spread them faster than they can be verified,” he said.

The INEC chairman consequently urged media organisations to establish fact-checking desks and verify election-related information with the commission before publication.

He stressed the importance of accuracy in electoral reporting, stating: “In national elections, it is far more important to be right than to be first.”

Despite these warnings, critics have questioned the wisdom of introducing AI into a process as sensitive as election administration when the same technology can potentially be used to manufacture convincing false information.

They argue that INEC must demonstrate that its proposed safeguards are sufficiently developed and independently verifiable before relying on the technology during the 2027 elections.

Obidient Movement Rejects AI in Election Results Collation

The Obidient Movement has strongly opposed the proposed introduction of AI into election results collation, insisting that the commission must prioritise transparency, accountability and public confidence in the electoral system.

In a statement issued through its Media and Communications Directorate, the movement described the proposal as “reckless and unacceptable,” arguing that INEC had not completed the policy that would govern the technology’s use.

“INEC cannot tell Nigerians that it intends to introduce AI into one of the most sensitive stages of the electoral process while simultaneously admitting that the rules governing its use are still being developed.

“Nigerians are not guinea pigs for another untested electoral experiment. We reject the use of AI in results collation and demand that INEC immediately abandon the plan,” it said.

The movement maintained that Nigeria’s electoral challenges could not be resolved simply by introducing new technology. It argued that the credibility concerns associated with the 2023 general elections required stronger institutional accountability and greater transparency in the handling of results.

Citing alleged alterations to and defacement of result sheets, the group contended that the problems it identified during the previous elections were not caused by a lack of technological tools.

It called on INEC to establish a system that allows election results to be traced from individual polling units through every stage of collation to the final declaration.

According to the movement, political parties, election observers, journalists and members of the public should be able to independently verify the figures recorded at each stage.

The group also questioned the implications of Amupitan’s warning against announcing or declaring results that had not been officially released by INEC.

While acknowledging the commission’s statutory authority to declare official election results, the movement argued that the combination of the warning and the proposed AI framework raised questions about transparency and the limits of institutional control over electoral information.

It demanded a clear and independently auditable framework for every technology INEC intends to deploy.

The movement further called for the publication of Forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C, EC8D and EC8E on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal to strengthen public access to polling-unit results and subsequent collation records.

“The votes of Nigerians belong to Nigerians. No algorithm, server, software, official or political party has the right to alter the wishes of the people,” the movement said.

African Democratic Congress Raises Concerns

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has also expressed opposition to electoral malpractice and warned that the party would not tolerate any attempt to manipulate the 2027 elections.

In a statement issued through the Office of the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mark said the party would comply with INEC’s electoral rules but would resist any attempt to rig it out of the contest.

He made the remarks during a courtesy visit by the Governing Council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development to the ADC national headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mark reiterated the party’s commitment to observing INEC’s regulations and the principles outlined in its Orange Book.

“We are committed to playing politics in a manner that promotes public confidence in democracy. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of good conduct as a political party. We will play by the rules. But we will not accept rigging or allow ourselves to be rigged out,” he said.

The visiting delegation was led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. The centre explained that the engagement was part of its ongoing consultations with political parties and political leaders ahead of the forthcoming elections.

Ariwoola reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to promoting free, fair and credible elections. He also encouraged the ADC leadership to ensure that its candidates and members adhered to INEC’s regulations and avoided political violence.

Businessman Warns INEC Against Undermining Electoral Credibility

A businessman and concerned Nigerian, Rowland Osazuwa, has called on INEC to exercise caution in its approach to the 2027 elections, warning that Nigerians would resist any action perceived as an attempt to undermine the credibility of the polls.

Osazuwa argued that many Nigerians were experiencing severe economic difficulties and viewed the forthcoming elections as an opportunity to influence the country’s political direction and improve their circumstances.

He questioned why the commission would introduce technology that could potentially be exploited to manufacture false electoral information.

“So, any attempt by INEC to play any kind of monkey trick will be resisted. What is INEC trying to tell us? That a process which is prone to cloning is what it wants to introduce for the 2027 election, or what?

“Look, these people still don’t understand the situation in Nigeria today. We are suffering like never before, and we want to use the 2027 election to ameliorate our suffering.

“If INEC knows that AI is prone to cloning, why is it bent on introducing it? Who is pushing INEC to introduce such a dangerous process into the 2027 election?

“Nigerians are not smiling, and INEC should know that. Anything that will bring about free, fair and credible polls is what Nigerians are yearning for, not something that will call the integrity of the process into question.

“The same INEC told us that the process was still being finalised, and this is barely three months before the election. So, when is INEC going to test the process to determine its functionality, or does INEC want to use Nigerians as guinea pigs?

“Well, all I know is that everybody, from INEC to political leaders at different levels, should be very careful because the 2027 election won’t be like the elections we have had in the past. The 2027 election would determine whether Nigeria will remain one or not. So, if INEC loves Nigeria, it should drop the idea and focus on processes that would guarantee free, fair and credible polls,” he stated.

Osazuwa’s comments reflect concerns among some Nigerians that the introduction of new technology so close to a general election could create additional uncertainty if the system has not been adequately tested and its safeguards clearly communicated.

He maintained that INEC should concentrate on measures that would strengthen public confidence rather than introduce arrangements that could generate further controversy.

Estate Agent Alleges Possible Political Motives

An estate agent, My Gilmor Uwandu, also criticised the proposed AI initiative, alleging that the technology could be used to manipulate the electoral process in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Uwandu questioned INEC’s preparedness to deploy the technology and challenged the commission to explain why it would introduce a system that critics believe could be vulnerable to falsification and cloning.

“What does INEC know about AI? Why introduce something you have already admitted is prone to faking and cloning?

“Why even introduce something that has not been tested anywhere just a few months before the 2027 election? INEC has ulterior motives; it wants to rig the election for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

“But that will not work. Nigerians don’t want anything that will tamper with the integrity of the election. So, INEC should forget about AI because we know what is happening,” he stated.

The allegations represent Uwandu’s personal position and have not, in the material reviewed, been established as evidence of electoral misconduct by INEC or the ruling party.

Transparency Remains Central to the Debate

The controversy surrounding INEC’s proposed deployment of AI highlights the challenge of balancing technological innovation with public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.

Although artificial intelligence can assist with detecting irregularities, monitoring cyber threats and identifying inconsistencies in large volumes of data, its use in elections requires clear rules, robust security measures and independent verification.

Critics have therefore urged INEC to explain precisely how the technology will operate, what decisions it will be permitted to influence and how political parties and observers will be able to audit its outputs.

The commission’s stated commitment to human oversight will also be important in determining how AI-generated alerts are reviewed and whether any technology-assisted findings can be challenged through established electoral procedures.

For opponents of the initiative, the immediate priority should be to demonstrate that existing electoral procedures are transparent and that polling-unit results can be independently verified throughout the collation process.

As preparations for the 2027 general elections continue, INEC faces the task of explaining the purpose and limits of its AI framework while addressing concerns about electoral transparency, cybersecurity and the protection of voters’ mandates.

The debate is likely to remain significant as political parties, civil society organisations, journalists and voters assess whether the proposed technology will strengthen confidence in the elections or create further questions about how results are verified and declared.