Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission’s admission that registration officers introduced artificial intelligence-generated images and fictitious entries into the national voters’ register.
Atiku, in a statement issued on Friday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, said the development had seriously undermined the integrity and credibility of the electoral body.
“INEC has admitted that some AI-generated images are on the voters’ register and that registration officers introduced irregularities across the country. A commission charged with protecting Nigerians’ votes has acknowledged that its own system was compromised by those entrusted to operate it. This is a catastrophic failure of leadership and operational safeguards,” Atiku stated.
He faulted explanations by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, and the Director of Information and Communications Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, who reportedly said the commission knew how its database was compromised and what the officers did but could not establish their motives.
Atiku described the explanation as an evasion, questioning how a national database containing millions of voters’ records could have weaker security protections than ordinary social media and email accounts.
He urged INEC to release evidence of the breach, identify all officers implicated and explain why they had not been suspended or referred to security agencies for prosecution.
The former Vice-President also warned the commission against secretly altering the register or destroying digital evidence, insisting that allegations involving more than 20 million AI-generated images required an independent forensic investigation.
He called for the preservation of voter records, image files, access logs and audit trails, urging accredited experts, political parties, civil society organisations and credible international observers to participate in the exercise. He also demanded that disputed records should not be certified until the audit was completed.
Atiku further criticised INEC for allegedly failing to disclose the identities of companies contracted to produce sensitive electoral materials, describing the secrecy surrounding the contracts as incompatible with a transparent electoral process.
He said opposition parties were entitled to know the contractors and the security arrangements governing the production of the materials, just as the ruling All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.
Warning that the opposition could seek judicial intervention if INEC failed to provide the requested information, Atiku said every official found culpable of compromising the voters’ register must face the law.
He also urged opposition leaders, civil society groups and international development partners to demand a comprehensive forensic audit and full accountability, warning that the credibility of the 2027 general elections was at stake.
“INEC cannot demand public trust while concealing evidence and shielding compromised operatives. It must name the culprits, unmask the contractors, and submit the voter database and electoral materials to independent forensic verification. Until then, its public assurances remain hollow. The credibility of the 2027 general elections is on the line,” Atiku concluded.
[TRIBUNE]
