By Felix Olukayode
The credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections has come under fresh scrutiny following allegations that photographs suspected of being artificially generated have appeared alongside voter records in the preliminary register released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The images, reportedly identified in Ward 11, Uzairue South East, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, have raised disturbing questions about the integrity of the electoral database and the effectiveness of INEC’s verification procedures.
The controversy erupted after a housing advocate and property expert identified as Decosule on X shared screenshots from INEC’s online register showing photographs he suspected were AI-generated.
Political economist Professor Pat Utomi also criticized the electoral commission, warning that the alleged irregularities raised serious questions about verification, transparency, and accountability.
However, the images have not been independently authenticated, and their appearance alone does not establish that the identities are fictitious or that electoral fraud has occurred.
Beyond the photographs, voters have reported alleged duplicate identities, discrepancies involving personal identification details, and names missing from the online register. One complainant claimed that a record bearing the same personal details and National Identification Number (NIN) as hers, but a different photograph and gender, remained on the register while her own name was missing. These allegations have yet to be independently established. As of October 27, INEC had not publicly responded specifically to the claims about suspected AI-generated photographs.
The controversy comes as INEC faces mounting pressure to demonstrate the reliability of a register central to the credibility of the elections. The commission uploaded its preliminary register online on October 26, following public criticism over access, and has set December 15, 2026, as the date for publication of the final register. It must now investigate the disputed entries, explain how the photographs entered its database, and clarify how voters can report and correct errors before certification.
If replicated across the country, confirmed fraudulent registrations could undermine confidence in the 2027 elections, trigger widespread disputes, and potentially facilitate attempts to manipulate the electoral outcomes.
Although political pundits believe that suspicious photographs do not prove that additional votes have been created, they added that widespread, unresolved irregularities could weaken public trust in the entire process. INEC must therefore establish the facts through a transparent, technically credible investigation and demonstrate that every eligible voter is properly registered before Nigerians go to the polls.
INEC, however, has yet to respond to this allegation, and until the images are properly identified and verified, it remains just an allegation.