The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified 268 questionable entries in its preliminary Register of Voters over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other irregularities, as the commission intensifies efforts to sanitise its database ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, disclosed this during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, saying the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) had flagged the records for further investigation.
Bayode said the commission was examining the affected entries to establish the nature of the irregularities and determine which records should be expunged from the register.
“What we are currently doing now is looking at all these 268 records that ABIS already flagged as AI-generated or even something of irregularities,” he said.
He explained that some individuals allegedly exploited a special registration provision created for persons with disabilities, particularly those with incomplete or missing fingers, to generate questionable voter profiles.
According to him, the special registration arrangement was among the loopholes allegedly abused by individuals responsible for the suspicious entries.
Bayode added that INEC had already commenced the process of removing records confirmed to be fraudulent or improperly generated.
“Those that we have seen, we are cleaning up,” he said.
The ICT director, however, clarified that the use of artificial intelligence applications to enhance genuine photographs would not automatically disqualify affected voters.
He distinguished between original photographs improved with AI-powered phone applications and images generated entirely through artificial intelligence, saying only the latter would be removed where established.
“Those that we know it is the AI on the phone that helped enhance their pictures, we can’t exclude such people because it was the AI on the phone that does that.
“Such people will still be on the register but those AI-generated, those photographs, all these will be removed. We are already looking at them,” he explained.
The disclosure comes amid growing controversy over INEC’s preliminary Register of Voters, which was published on the commission’s website on October 26.
The publication sparked public concern after photographs circulating on social media appeared to show suspicious images attached to some voter records, particularly in parts of Edo State.
Other complaints included alleged multiple registrations, the appearance of deceased persons in the database and reports by some registered voters that their details were missing from the online register.
The controversy has since attracted criticism from political leaders, civil society organisations and other stakeholders, who have questioned the commission’s verification procedures and demanded greater accountability.
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Rabiu Kwankwaso, called for a comprehensive, transparent and independent investigation into the allegations.
In a statement posted on his X account, Kwankwaso said INEC must go beyond issuing assurances and ensure that the circumstances surrounding the questionable entries were thoroughly investigated.
“While I welcome INEC’s decision to investigate the matter, but Nigerians deserve more than assurances. The investigation must be thorough, transparent and independent (outside of INEC’s internal affairs), with its findings made public and any individuals found culpable held accountable in accordance with the law,” he said.
He also urged the commission to verify suspicious entries and investigate possible duplicate registrations and artificial identities to prevent eligible voters from being disenfranchised.
Similarly, political economist Pat Utomi expressed concern over the development, warning that the discovery of AI-generated photographs in the voter register raised fundamental questions about the commission’s verification and accountability mechanisms.
In a post on X, Utomi said the credibility of the electoral process must not be compromised by lapses in the management of the voters' database.
“INEC cannot afford to be careless with the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process. The presence of AI-generated images in a register meant to support our democracy raises serious questions about verification, transparency and accountability. Our democracy is at stake here!” he wrote.
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr Moses Paul, also demanded an explanation from the electoral body, questioning how artificial intelligence-generated photographs found their way into a database intended to safeguard the integrity of elections.
“OUR DEMOCRACY IS UNDER THREAT! INEC must explain how AI-generated images found their way into a register meant to protect our electoral process. Who verified these records, and who is accountable?” he stated.
Paul maintained that Nigerians would not accept silence or secrecy over an issue capable of undermining public confidence in democratic institutions.
Also weighing in, the Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, Clement Nwankwo, raised concerns about the credibility of the voter register, warning that unresolved irregularities could cast a shadow over preparations for the 2027 elections.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News, Nwankwo questioned the increase in the number of registered voters from more than 90 million to 103 million, expressing concerns about the accuracy of the figures and the procedures used to verify the records.
He said, “Technology has of course come forward, and now what we see is what is now referred to as AI-generated information and photographs that have been inserted into the voter register.”
Nwankwo further called on INEC to strengthen communication with political parties and provide clearer information about its preparations for the next general elections.
He also cautioned that weaknesses in voter registration and polling unit transfer procedures could prevent eligible Nigerians from exercising their constitutional right to vote.
INEC had earlier defended the publication of the preliminary register, insisting that the online version released on October 26 was the same document displayed physically at Registration Areas across the country between October 9 and 15.
In a statement issued by the Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the commission explained that the online publication did not capture all the data-cleaning activities already in progress.
It stressed that the preliminary register was not the final certified document, noting that the Display, Claims and Objections exercise was specifically designed to allow members of the public to identify errors, report suspicious entries and request corrections before the register was certified.
The commission also disclosed that it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the questionable photographs, including possible technical and procedural failures, assuring that appropriate measures would be taken based on verified findings.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, has similarly confirmed that the commission is examining the affected records and will implement corrective measures where necessary.
The electoral body is expected to conclude the verification, adjudication and data-cleanup exercises before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
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