The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, says the commission is investigating AI-generated photographs and other irregularities identified in its preliminary voter register.
According to a statement published on INEC’s official X account, Amupitan spoke on Saturday during an interactive meeting with staff from the south-south zone in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The commission has recently faced criticism after Nigerians raised concerns about duplicate entries, AI-generated photographs and the inclusion of deceased persons in the voter register.
Lawrence Bayode, INEC’s director of information and communication technology, had attributed the irregularities to registration officers, alleging that some used their login credentials to add questionable records to the database.
The commission’s statement quoted Amupitan as saying that “the commission was examining the records and would take corrective action based on verified findings”.
He urged members of the public to participate in the display, claims and objections exercise before the final voter register is published on 15 December 2026.
Amupitan also disclosed that INEC was preparing its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), including 57,000 newly acquired devices. He said the commission was auditing its electronic result management systems to improve transparency in the transmission of election results through the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
The INEC chairman called on electoral officials in the south-south to maintain impartiality, discipline and accountability as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
He warned that anyone who threatens or attacks INEC officials, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed for election duties, would face the full force of the law.
Amupitan disclosed that the south-south zone has 15,823,550 registered voters, including 3,736,434 in Rivers State. He stressed that no eligible voter should be denied the opportunity to vote because of administrative negligence or logistical shortcomings.
He also pointed to the logistical difficulties posed by the region’s creeks, coastal settlements and riverine communities. According to him, INEC has finalised a memorandum of understanding with the Maritime Transporters Union to ensure the safe and timely transportation of election personnel and materials.