INEC Flags 268 Voter Records for AI Irregularities

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has flagged 268 records in its preliminary Register of Voters due to suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other irregularities. Lawrence Bayode, INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, announced this on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, stating that the Automated Biometric Identification System identified these questionable records for further examination.

Some individuals allegedly exploited a special registration option for persons with disabilities to create dubious voter profiles. INEC has begun removing the affected records from the preliminary register.

Bayode clarified that photographs enhanced with AI would not automatically lead to exclusion, distinguishing between genuine enhancements and entirely AI-generated images. The controversy arose after the preliminary Register of Voters was published on October 26, leading to public outrage over suspicious photographs, duplicate registrations, and missing details.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Nigeria Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, called for a thorough investigation into these irregularities.