INEC's Bayode Addresses AI Photos in Voter Registration

Dr Lawrence Bayode, the Director of Information and Communication Technology at INEC, revealed that certain registration officers misused their login credentials to add questionable records to the voter database. This announcement came during an appearance on Arise TV, following public concerns regarding the credibility of the voter registration process after INEC published its preliminary register.

Among the irregularities were entries from a polling unit in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, where some photographs appeared to be AI-generated. Bayode clarified that while some entries were indeed AI-generated, others resulted from poor registration practices.

He noted that the commission identified these irregularities through its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which helped trace the problematic entries. Although the findings indicated that not all registration officers were involved in these irregularities, the situation raised significant questions about compliance with registration procedures and the effectiveness of safeguards against unauthorized entries.