INEC AI for 2027 elections divides stakeholders as Commission rolls out technology amid deepfake warnings.
Opposition groups and citizens reject unfinished framework, demand full transparency ahead of critical national polls.
ABUJA, Nigeria — The iNews Times | The Independent National Electoral Commission’s plan to deploy AI for 2027 elections has ignited sharp reactions across Nigeria’s political landscape after Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan announced the creation of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division and the integration of AI tools into results verification and cybersecurity systems.
Speaking in Abuja at a world press conference and national stakeholders’ meeting marking 100 days to the first ballot of the 2027 general elections, Amupitan outlined a five-pillar AI Governance Framework that includes automated auditing tools for results verification, always subject to mandatory human oversight. The Commission is also finalising a policy to guide the technology’s deployment while introducing AI-driven anomaly detection to monitor database traffic and shield public portals from cyber intrusions and unauthorised alterations.
In this report, we examine the key developments, reactions from stakeholders, and the broader implications.
Background of the Story
Nigeria’s electoral process has long been under intense scrutiny. The 2023 general elections left lingering questions about result transmission, alleged alterations of forms, and public trust. Against this backdrop, INEC https://inecnigeria.org has repeatedly signalled its intention to modernise operations. The latest announcement comes barely months before critical preparations intensify, at a time when generative AI, voice cloning and deepfake videos have become global threats capable of fabricating officials’ voices, doctored result sheets and fake letterheads at low cost and high speed.
Amupitan himself acknowledged these dangers, urging the media to set up fact-checking desks and verify election-related information with INEC before publication. “In national elections, it is far more important to be right than to be first,” he stated, underscoring the Commission’s concern that fabricated content could outpace verification efforts.
Key Developments
At the Abuja event, Amupitan confirmed that automated AI auditing tools are being woven into the results verification process under the five-pillar framework. AI-driven systems will also monitor traffic on INEC databases and protect portals. A formal policy governing the technology remains under finalisation. The Commission simultaneously warned that generative AI now makes it cheap and easy to manufacture false election materials and spread them rapidly.
These disclosures have crystallised existing anxieties about technological readiness, transparency and the risk of untested systems being introduced so close to a high-stakes national contest.
Reactions from Stakeholders
The Obidient Movement rejected the initiative outright. In a statement from its Media and Communications Directorate, the group described the proposal as “reckless and unacceptable,” pointing out that INEC is advancing AI into one of the most sensitive stages of the process while still developing the governing rules. “Nigerians are not guinea pigs for another untested electoral experiment. We reject the use of AI in results collation and demand that INEC immediately abandon the plan,” the statement declared.
The movement insisted that results must remain independently verifiable from polling units through every stage of collation by parties, observers, journalists and citizens. It further called for the full publication of Forms EC8A through EC8E on the IReV portal and questioned warnings against announcing results not yet released by INEC, arguing that such language, paired with an unfinished AI framework, raises questions about control and intent.
Senator David Mark, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, also voiced firm reservations. During a courtesy visit by the Governing Council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Mark stated that the ADC would comply with electoral rules and its own Orange Book principles but would not accept rigging or allow itself to be rigged out. “We are committed to playing politics in a manner that promotes public confidence in democracy.
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of good conduct as a political party. We will play by the rules. But we will not accept rigging or allow ourselves to be rigged out,” he said. Ariwoola reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections and urged parties to eschew violence.
Businessman Rowland Osazuwa warned that any perceived “monkey trick” would meet resistance. He asked why INEC would introduce a process it itself admits is vulnerable to cloning so close to the polls, and questioned whether Nigerians were being treated as test subjects. Estate agent Gilmor Uwandu went further, describing the plan as a potential ploy to favour the ruling party and arguing that INEC should abandon AI altogether because public confidence in the integrity of the process remains paramount.
Implications
The controversy over INEC AI for 2027 elections cuts to the heart of democratic legitimacy in Nigeria. Credible elections remain the primary peaceful avenue for citizens to address economic hardship and governance failures. Introducing sophisticated technology without a fully published, independently auditable framework risks deepening distrust rather than restoring it. Political parties, civil society and ordinary voters are watching closely to determine whether innovation will strengthen or undermine the vote. The episode also highlights the dual nature of AI itself: a potential shield against cyber threats and a potential weapon for disinformation.
What Happens Next
INEC is expected to finalise and publish its AI governance policy in the coming weeks. Stakeholders will likely intensify calls for public demonstration of the tools, independent audits, and clear protocols ensuring that every result remains traceable and verifiable by multiple actors. The Commission faces pressure to show that technology will serve transparency rather than replace it. Political parties and civic groups are preparing to monitor every stage of deployment. The Savannah Centre and similar organisations are expected to continue engagement with parties to promote adherence to rules and peaceful conduct.
Conclusion
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the debate over INEC AI for 2027 elections has become a defining test of institutional credibility. The iNews Times will continue to track every development, because the integrity of the ballot remains non-negotiable. Only a transparent, independently verifiable process can secure the confidence of a nation determined to shape its own future at the polls.
