The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has flagged 268 records in its preliminary Register of Voters over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other irregularities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, explaining that the Automated Biometric Identification System had identified the questionable records for further investigation.
Bayode said some individuals allegedly exploited a special registration option designed for persons with disabilities who have incomplete or missing fingers to create questionable voter profiles.
He explained that INEC had commenced the process of cleaning up the affected records, adding that photographs entirely generated by artificial intelligence would be removed from the register.
However, he clarified that voters whose genuine photographs were merely enhanced using AI applications would not be excluded on that basis.
The development follows the publication of INEC’s preliminary Register of Voters on October 26, which generated public concern after suspicious photographs attached to some voter records circulated on social media, particularly in parts of Edo State.
The controversy also raised concerns about alleged duplicate registrations, names of deceased persons appearing on the register and complaints by some registered voters that their details were missing.
Reacting to the development, former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, called for a thorough, transparent and independent investigation into the alleged irregularities.
Similarly, political economist Pat Utomi and other stakeholders called on the electoral commission to explain how the suspected AI-generated photographs entered the register and identify those responsible.
The Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, Clement Nwankwo, also questioned the credibility of the voter register, raising concerns about the increase in registered voters from over 90 million to 103 million and the effectiveness of INEC’s verification procedures.
INEC, however, has maintained that the preliminary register published online is not the final certified document. It explained that the Display, Claims and Objections exercise is intended to allow members of the public to identify errors, report questionable entries and request corrections.
The commission said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the suspicious photographs, including possible technical and procedural lapses.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, also assured that corrective measures would be taken based on verified findings.
The commission is expected to complete its verification and data-cleanup processes before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
