Atiku wants INEC to name and prosecute officials over AI images in voter register
- Atiku Abubakar want INEC to name and prosecute officials wey allegedly put AI-generated images inside voter register.
- E threaten court action if INEC no disclose di officials and contractors wey dey handle election materials.
- INEC don admit say some registration officers abuse dia access, but e say e no know why.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar don ask di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to identify and prosecute its officials wey allegedly put artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other questionable entries inside di preliminary voter register.
Atiku, wey be di presidential candidate of di African Democratic Congress (ADC), make di demand inside one statement on Friday through di Director of Strategic Communication of him campaign council, Phrank Shaibu.
E warn say di ADC go go court to force INEC to release di names if di commission refuse.
Di demand follow INEC admission say some registration officers abuse dia access to di voter database. Di commission Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, talk on Arise Television on Friday say its biometric system help uncover di questionable records and trace some irregularities to officers wey get database access.
Bayode talk say some photographs na AI-generated, while others come from poor registration procedures. Dem report say e talk say INEC know how di irregularities happen but e no fit establish why di officers act di way dem act.
Wetin Atiku want
Atiku describe INEC explanation as attempt to dodge responsibility. E talk say di commission must disclose wetin e find and explain why dem never suspend or prosecute those wey dey implicated.
E call for independent forensic audit of di register, talk say allegations say more than 20 million AI-generated images fit dey involved need outside scrutiny. E ask say make dem preserve all voter records, image files, access logs and audit trails for examination by experts, political parties, civil society groups and international observers.
"INEC must not quietly 'clean up' di register and bury di evidence," di statement talk.
Atiku also renew him call for INEC to publish di identities of companies wey dem contract to produce sensitive election materials and explain di security arrangements around dia work. E argue say opposition parties suppose get di same information as di ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
E accuse President Bola Tinubu administration say e allow INEC to operate without enough scrutiny, and e urge opposition leaders and di international community to demand full investigation.
Wetin go happen next
INEC don talk say di online register na di same preliminary document wey dem display at Registration Areas nationwide from October 9 to 15. Di commission plan to certify di final register on December 15, 2026, and e talk say e dey review disputed entries before then.
Di controversy start after suspicious photographs show inside voter records for Edo State, including Etsako West Local Government Area, following di upload of di preliminary register on October 26.
E don increase pressure on INEC ahead of di 2027 general elections, as opposition parties dey ask for more openness on voter registration, staff postings and di procurement of election materials.
