The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) plan to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) tools ahead of the 2027 general elections has drawn criticism from opposition groups and concerned Nigerians, who have raised questions about transparency, safeguards and electoral credibility.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, announced the initiative on Tuesday in Abuja, saying the commission had established a dedicated AI division within its Information and Communication Technology department.
He said the technology would support election results verification and strengthen cybersecurity, with automated auditing tools operating under a five-pillar governance framework and mandatory human oversight. He added that the commission was finalising its AI policy.
Amupitan also warned that AI-generated videos, cloned voices and fabricated documents could be used to spread election misinformation, urging media organisations to verify information before publication.
However, the Obidient Movement has rejected the proposed use of AI in results collation, describing it as “reckless and unacceptable” because the rules governing its deployment are yet to be finalised.
In a statement, the movement urged INEC to abandon the plan and prioritise transparency and public confidence following controversies surrounding the 2023 elections.
It called for results to remain traceable from polling units through every stage of collation and independently verifiable by political parties, observers, journalists and citizens.
The group also demanded the publication of Forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C, EC8D and EC8E on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, insisting that technology must not undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
The criticism comes amid wider concerns about the commission’s preparedness to introduce new technology ahead of the polls. Some Nigerians have questioned the rationale for deploying AI when the commission itself has acknowledged the risks posed by deepfakes and cloned voices.
Businessman Rowland Osazuwa warned INEC against introducing a system that could undermine public confidence, while estate agent My Gilmor Uwandu alleged that the plan could be used to manipulate the election. Neither provided evidence to substantiate claims of an intention to rig the polls.
Meanwhile, African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Chairman, Senator David Mark, has warned that his party would not tolerate electoral malpractice.
Speaking during a visit by the Governing Council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development to the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, Mark said the ADC would abide by electoral rules but would neither accept rigging nor allow itself to be rigged out.
The council, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, urged political parties to comply with electoral regulations and shun violence ahead of the elections.
The debate over AI deployment has placed renewed focus on INEC’s responsibility to ensure that any technology introduced ahead of 2027 is transparent, independently auditable and subject to clear safeguards.
While the commission says AI will support verification and cybersecurity, critics insist that its implementation must not compromise the transparency of results or the public’s ability to verify the outcome of the election.
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