By Eneojo Herbert Idakwo
The credibility of an election begins long before voters arrive at polling units. It starts with the integrity of the voters’ register, the reliability of the registration process and the ability of the electoral commission to protect the system against manipulation.
The reported discovery of AI-generated images in Nigeria’s voters’ register has therefore raised serious concerns about the safeguards of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a press statement issued on November 6, 2026, High Chief Peter Ojonugwa Ameh, NDC senatorial candidate for Kogi East, questioned INEC’s reported attempt to blame field registration officers for the anomaly. He argued that such an explanation raises more questions than it answers.
His central concern is straightforward. If registration officers cannot complete registration without the required biometric information, how did records bearing AI-generated images pass through the system and enter the final voters’ register? Who supplied the fingerprints, who approved the registrations and what safeguards failed?
For Ameh, the commission must explain the entire process rather than shift responsibility to field officers.
The PVC and BVAS Questions
The statement also raises concerns about reports that questionable registrations may have involved NIN details and that PVCs bearing AI-generated images have already been produced.
Ameh questions what happens if BVAS fails to authenticate such cards on election day. He also raises concerns about the implications of manual voting provisions in the Electoral Act and whether weaknesses in the accreditation system could create opportunities for electoral manipulation.
These are technical questions requiring clear answers from INEC and independent electoral experts.
Who Has Access to INEC’s Database?
Another concern highlighted in the statement is the reported demonstration of access to INEC’s backend system by Lere Olayinka.
Ameh argues that Nigerians deserve to know who has access to the commission’s database, what level of authority such individuals possess and how changes to electoral records are monitored.
He specifically calls for public disclosure of INEC’s access-control arrangements, audit trails and security architecture.
The statement equally draws attention to allegations of more than 20 million fraudulent registrations and PVCs reportedly created for the ruling party, alongside claims of unusual increases in voter figures in some polling units.
These allegations have not been independently established and must be investigated rather than accepted or dismissed on political grounds.
Accountability Before 2027
Ameh questions the apparent absence of public accountability over the controversy, asking whether anyone has resigned, faced disciplinary action or been prosecuted.
His demand is for an immediate, independent and transparent forensic audit of the voters’ register. Such an investigation should examine biometric records, image authenticity, NIN-linked registrations, PVC production, backend access and the security of INEC’s registration system.
The controversy is bigger than party politics. It concerns the confidence Nigerians must have in the institution responsible for conducting their elections.
Political parties, civil society organisations, the National Assembly and citizens must insist on transparency before the 2027 general election.
INEC must identify the source of the anomaly, establish responsibility and demonstrate that corrective measures have been taken.
Nigeria cannot afford to approach another general election with unresolved doubts about the integrity of its voters’ register.
The time to protect the credibility of the 2027 election is now, not after the votes have been cast.
