The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has come under fire following allegations that its preliminary voters’ register contains AI-generated photographs and duplicate voter records, raising concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral database ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The controversy erupted on Monday, October 26, after Nigerians examining the register published on the commission’s website shared screenshots of suspicious photographs and alleged discrepancies in voter information, prompting accusations of possible electoral manipulation.
Although the initial reports focused on Ward 11, Uzairue South East, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, subsequent complaints by social media users have broadened the controversy, with allegations of duplicate names, photographs and personal identification details in records from different parts of the country.
The claims have not been independently verified through a comprehensive nationwide audit, and there is no established evidence linking the disputed entries to a coordinated plot to rig the elections. However, the allegations have intensified pressure on INEC chairman Joash Amupitan to explain the apparent irregularities and demonstrate the reliability of the voter registration process.
The development comes days after the commission faced criticism for failing to publish the preliminary register online within the timeframe prescribed by the Electoral Act, 2026.
Housing advocate and property expert Decosule, known on X as @SuleDeco, drew attention to the controversy after sharing screenshots from the online register showing voter entries in polling units including Iyoku-Utukwe Afashio Booth and Ikabigbo Primary School in Etsako West.
He questioned the authenticity of some photographs, alleging that they appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence.
“Dear @inecnigeria can you explain why you have AI Generated images on the INEC Register in polling units in Ward 11, Etsako West LG, Edo State,” he wrote.
He demanded explanations on who uploaded the photographs, who captured them and whether Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had been produced or collected for the affected entries.
The allegations have raised questions about how the images entered the electoral database and whether the commission’s verification procedures are sufficient to prevent fictitious identities or duplicate registrations.
Professor Pat Utomi, political economist and chieftain of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), warned that the controversy threatened public confidence in the electoral process.
“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 said on X.
Entrepreneur and NDC member Morris Monye alleged that duplicate entries and questionable photographs could facilitate electoral manipulation.
“This is how INEC wants to run the 2027 election and opposition are looking. Duplicate as many names as possible for multiple voting, flood the register with AI information. This is advanced level vote layering,” he wrote.
Monye also linked the disputed Edo records to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s reported pledge to deliver more than two million votes for President Bola Tinubu in 2027, writing: “That is Okpebholo’s 2m votes there.”
However, no evidence presented in the allegations has established that the governor or any political party was responsible for the disputed entries.
Beyond the photographs, Ekejiuba Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, who posts on X as @eleniyanofcve, alleged that another voter profile carried his personal details, including his name, date of birth and National Identification Number (NIN), but had a different photograph, gender and local government area.
He said the discrepancy emerged during his registration around May or June 2026. Although officials reportedly assured him that the problem would be corrected, he later found that his own name was missing from the voter verification portal while the other profile allegedly remained on the register.
His account has not been independently verified, but it has heightened concerns about possible identity misuse and errors that could affect legitimate voters.
INEC missed statutory deadline
The controversy has also revived criticism of INEC for failing to publish the preliminary register online within the statutory period.
Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, requires the commission to appoint a seven-day period, not later than 90 days before a general election, for the register to be displayed at registration areas and published on its official website for public scrutiny.
With the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, the deadline for appointing the display period fell on October 18.
INEC conducted a physical display of the register nationwide from October 9 to 15 but failed to publish it online within the prescribed period. The website continued to display a message stating that no preliminary registers were available, even after the physical exercise had ended.
Reports by Premium Times and the Foundation for Investigative Journalism indicated that the register remained unavailable online when checked on October 21.
A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mujeeb Abdulwasiu, described the omission as a breach of the Electoral Act, arguing that the law required both physical and online publication.
“It’s clearly a breach,” he said.
Section 19(5) provides for a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of N100,000 or both for an INEC official who fails to display or publish the register as required.
The delay fuelled suspicions among some Nigerians, who questioned why the commission had not made the register accessible online within the legal timeframe.
INEC eventually announced on October 26 that the preliminary register was available online, following public demands for wider access.
In a statement signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission said the online publication complemented the physical display already conducted.
It added that claims and objections were being processed ahead of the publication of the final register on December 15, 2026.
The publication has now enabled Nigerians to examine voter records more widely, but the resulting controversy has placed the commission under renewed pressure to explain the alleged irregularities.
Pressure mounts ahead of final register
Other social media users have called for a nationwide investigation, arguing that the disputed photographs and duplicate entries could undermine confidence in the 2027 elections if left unresolved.
Former Lagos governorship candidate Babatunde Gbadamosi also criticised the commission’s failure to publish the register within the statutory period, warning that alleged violations could further erode public trust.
However, the presence of suspicious photographs does not, by itself, prove that the identities are fictitious or that multiple voting is possible. The allegations require verification through registration records, biometric data and an examination of how the disputed entries were created.
With the final register due on December 15, INEC has limited time to investigate complaints, correct errors and explain the safeguards in place against duplicate or fraudulent registrations.
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