INEC's Joash Amupitan Rejects AI in 2027 Election Process

Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced that algorithms will not decide the outcome of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria. Speaking at the AI Democracy Forum in Abuja, he asserted that technology should support democracy rather than replace the electorate's will.

Amupitan emphasized that the choice of leadership must remain with Nigerians through their votes. He highlighted the complexity of the upcoming elections, which will involve over 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units.

INEC has procured additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and processed over 15,000 candidate nominations from 22 political parties. While acknowledging the potential benefits of AI in election logistics and voter education, he warned against its misuse, citing threats like deepfake videos and disinformation that could undermine electoral credibility.

Amupitan stressed that the greatest threat is not ballot box hacking but the manipulation of voters' perceptions.