By Nathaniel Irobi
The Independent National Electoral Commission has identified 268 entries in its preliminary voters register as suspect, citing possible AI generated photographs and other anomalies, as the commission moves to sanitise its database before the 2027 general elections.
The flagged records were thrown up by the commission’s Automated Biometric Identification System, according to INEC’s Director of ICT, Lawrence Bayode, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
Bayode said the commission is now subjecting the 268 flagged entries to closer scrutiny, noting that some Nigerians may have taken advantage of a registration window meant for persons with disabilities, specifically those with incomplete or missing fingers, to slip questionable profiles into the register.
He said the cleanup is already underway, but drew a key distinction: voters who merely used phone AI tools to enhance their photographs will not be struck off, while images wholly generated by artificial intelligence will be removed.
The controversy erupted after INEC published the preliminary register online on October 26. Screenshots of suspicious photos, especially from parts of Edo State, spread rapidly on social media, fuelling concerns about duplicate entries, names of deceased persons and missing voter details.
The development has drawn sharp reactions from political and civil society figures. Rabiu Kwankwaso, vice presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, demanded a thorough, transparent and independent probe, insisting Nigerians deserve more than assurances and that anyone found culpable must face the law.
Pat Utomi, political economist, warned that AI generated images in a register meant to support democracy raise serious questions about verification and accountability, declaring that our democracy is at stake.
Dr Moses Paul, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, asked who verified the records and who should be held accountable.
Clement Nwankwo of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre questioned the jump in registered voters from over 90 million to 103 million, warning that flaws in the process could disenfranchise eligible voters.
The commission has insisted the online publication is not the final register. In a statement by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC explained that the preliminary register mirrors what was displayed at Registration Areas nationwide between October 9 and 15, and that the Display, Claims and Objections exercise exists precisely to catch and correct such errors.
INEC Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan has also said corrective action will follow verified findings.
INEC is expected to complete verification and data cleanup before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
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