African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has escalated pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publicly identify officials responsible for the inclusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated images in Nigeria’s voter register.
Speaking through Phrank Shaibu, ADC’s Director of Strategic Communication, Atiku described INEC’s admission that registration officers introduced irregularities—including AI-created photographs—into the voter database as a serious breach of public trust. He called the situation a “catastrophic failure” that undermines the foundation of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Atiku highlighted the gravity of the issue by comparing INEC’s compromised database to the relatively more secure personal social media accounts, underlining how astonishing it is that a system managing millions of votes can be so vulnerable.
The ADC candidate condemned the current presidential administration under Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allegedly allowing INEC to avoid external scrutiny, arguing that this enables a cover-up rather than accountability.
“INEC must release evidence, disclose the identities of every official involved, and explain the lack of suspensions or prosecutions thus far. The people deserve more than vague denials and excuses,” Atiku insisted.
He urged both domestic opposition and the international community to call for an independent forensic audit of the voter register, especially given reports that over 20 million AI-generated images could be implicated. Atiku warned that INEC risks irreparable damage to the credibility of the upcoming 2027 elections if it continues to shield those behind the scandal.
“In failing to transparently address this crisis, INEC betrays the Nigerian people’s vote,” he said. “Trust cannot be demanded where evidence is concealed and wrongdoing goes unpunished.”
The debate now centers on whether Nigeria’s electoral body will choose openness and accountability—or further erosion of public confidence ahead of a pivotal election year.