INEC probes suspicious voter register after AI-generated photo allegation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed on social media that it flagged several questionable registration records during the physical display of the voter register before it went online. The admission follows viral social media claims that photographs in the preliminary register were generated with artificial intelligence (AI).

In a statement on Tuesday, INEC said it is examining the circumstances behind the suspicious photographs, including “possible technical or procedural lapses”. It did not confirm that the images were AI-generated.

The commission said the register published online on Monday is the original preliminary register and does not reflect ongoing data cleanup. It stressed that “the preliminary register is not the final certified register.”

What triggered the concerns about AI images

The concerns surfaced after INEC put the register on its website following calls for wider access. SaharaReporters said that it found several profiles with photographs suspected to be artificially generated. It added that INEC’s press secretary did not respond to its enquiries.

Political economist Pat Utomi posted on X that the presence of such images “raises serious questions about verification, transparency and accountability”. One of the major political parties for the 2027 elections, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), also demanded that the commission find out who introduced the alleged AI-generated images into the polling unit register in Ward 11, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.

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A separate allegation came from an X user, Eleniyan, who said the registration device showed a duplicate record with the same name, date of birth and National Identification Number (NIN) during registration. The user alleged that the duplicate later appeared on the register while their own name did not.

What INEC is yet to clear

INEC has not given detailed information about how many records were flagged, how many photographs are in question or who captured them. It has also not said whether the records flagged during the display are the same ones now being queried online.

The statement does not address the alleged duplicate NIN either. INEC said it will address verified irregularities and that further updates will follow. The final register is due for certification on December 15, about seven weeks away.

Also read: INEC quietly moves 2023 election results to new servers, 3 states remain on old host