2027 Elections: Southern, Middle Belt leaders demand forensic audit of INEC voters’ register over AI photos
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct an urgent, independent forensic audit of the preliminary voters’ register following allegations of artificial intelligence-generated photographs, duplicate entries and questionable voter records.
The forum said the alleged irregularities raised serious concerns about the credibility of the electoral process ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The demand was contained in a statement issued on Monday, November 9, 2026, in Kaduna and jointly signed by the forum’s leaders: Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Chairman of the SMBLF and Afenifere leader; Dr Bitrus Pogu, President of the Middle Belt Forum; Senator John Azuta-Mbata, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; and Ambassador Godknows Igali, National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
The leaders expressed concern over what they described as the discovery of suspected AI-generated photographs, duplicate registrations and records allegedly belonging to unknown individuals in the preliminary voters’ register published by INEC.
They called for an independent examination involving electoral technology specialists, civil society organisations and other qualified stakeholders to establish the authenticity and integrity of the register.
The forum said the credibility of the voters’ register was fundamental to conducting free, fair and transparent elections, urging INEC to provide clear explanations about how the questionable records entered its database.
It also called on the electoral commission to demonstrate its preparedness for the 2027 elections by ensuring the reliable deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), protecting election infrastructure and adequately training electoral personnel.
The leaders further urged INEC to ensure transparent collation and prompt publication of polling-unit results, stressing the need to address previous controversies surrounding the use of technology in election result transmission.
The forum’s demand comes amid growing public concerns over suspicious photographs discovered in the preliminary voters’ register uploaded to INEC’s website on October 26.
INEC has acknowledged the concerns, confirming that it identified and flagged questionable registration records during the physical display of the preliminary register across registration areas nationwide between October 9 and 15.
The commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, subsequently disclosed that its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) had flagged 268 records for further examination.
INEC explained that not every photograph enhanced using artificial intelligence would be disqualified, distinguishing between genuine photographs improved with AI-powered editing tools and images generated entirely through artificial intelligence.
The commission also maintained that the online register was preliminary and did not reflect all ongoing verification and data-cleaning activities.
It said the necessary verification, adjudication and corrections would be completed before the final register is certified on December 15, 2026.
Beyond the voters’ register controversy, the SMBLF expressed concern over reported attacks on political figures, including Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential hopeful Omoyele Sowore.
The forum cited reported incidents involving Obi in Makurdi and Calabar, as well as Sowore in Ekiti State, describing political violence as a threat to democratic participation.
It urged security agencies to investigate the incidents impartially, identify those responsible and prosecute perpetrators and their sponsors wherever sufficient evidence establishes culpability.
The leaders also condemned the destruction of campaign billboards, posters and other political materials, warning that such actions could heighten political tensions ahead of the elections.
The forum further called on the judiciary and electoral institutions to act independently and promptly in resolving disputes involving political party leadership and candidates’ eligibility.
It warned that prolonged uncertainty over such matters close to election day could deprive Nigerians of meaningful electoral choices and undermine confidence in the democratic process.
However, the SMBLF clarified that it had not endorsed any presidential candidate or political party ahead of the 2027 elections.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful, credible and inclusive electoral process in which eligible Nigerians would be able to exercise their voting rights without intimidation, coercion or inducement.
The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027.