The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against the potential risks of deploying artificial intelligence (AI) in voting and election results collation, warning that inadequate safeguards could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
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Key Highlights
- The NDC has warned INEC against using AI in voting and results collation for the 2027 elections.
- National Publicity Secretary Osa Director spoke at a summit on electoral information integrity in the age of AI.
- He said AI could help clean the voters’ register but could create opportunities for manipulation in critical operations.
- He urged INEC to show genuine independence through its actions and decisions.
- The summit was organised by IPC and CEMESO with EU support.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, raised the concerns at a national summit with the theme: “Beyond the Ballot: Safeguarding Electoral Information Integrity in the Age of AI.”
The summit was organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), with support from the European Union (EU).
Safeguards, Not Rejection
Director acknowledged the growing importance of artificial intelligence in modern society, but warned against its potential misuse to manipulate electoral information, circulate fabricated videos and audio recordings, and spread disinformation capable of misleading voters.
He stressed that rather than rejecting the technology entirely, stakeholders should develop effective safeguards to prevent its abuse and strengthen mechanisms for detecting AI-generated false information.
The NDC national publicity secretary also expressed reservations about the use of AI by INEC in voting and the collation of election results, arguing that although the technology could assist in cleaning the voters’ register, identifying suspicious entries and detecting fraudulent information, its deployment in critical electoral operations could create opportunities for manipulation.
He warned that technological innovations introduced to improve electoral administration must not become instruments for compromising the credibility of elections.
NDC Questions INEC’s Independence
Referring to the technological challenges experienced during the 2023 general elections, Director urged INEC to exercise caution and ensure that any new technology adopted ahead of 2027 is reliable, transparent and capable of earning public confidence.
He further questioned the commission’s institutional independence, insisting that INEC must demonstrate genuine autonomy through its actions, decisions and conduct rather than merely relying on its constitutional status.
According to him, the commission has a responsibility to convince Nigerians that it can conduct credible elections without undue influence.
Read also:
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- INEC Assures Nigerians of Readiness for 2027 Elections, Says Preparations on Track
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The summit examined emerging threats posed by artificial intelligence, foreign information manipulation and disinformation to Nigeria’s electoral information integrity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Participants, including political party representatives, media professionals and other electoral stakeholders, discussed strategies for promoting responsible technology use, strengthening fact-checking mechanisms, improving media accountability and encouraging collaboration to protect democratic institutions.
The engagement also highlighted the importance of safeguarding public trust in electoral information as Nigeria prepares for another general election cycle.
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