ANAMBRA, Nigeria — Two election advocacy groups, MundX Analytics and Actizens Social Impact Foundation (ASIF), have demanded explanations from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged irregularities in the preliminary voters’ register, including suspected AI-generated photographs and an extraordinary increase in registered voters in parts of Edo State.
The groups made the demand on Sunday during a joint pre-summit world press conference in Awka, Anambra State, where they announced plans for a November 30, 2026, summit on citizens’ roles in ensuring credible elections in 2027.
The concerns followed recent findings by the organisations alleging that AI-generated images had infiltrated INEC’s online platforms, appearing as photographs attached to printed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
They also questioned a sharp increase in the number of registered voters in some polling units in Edo State, which they said raised concerns about possible political interference.
Speaking at the conference, Mr Martin Uwakwe, who represented MundX Analytics, said the forthcoming 2027 Election Evidence Summit would examine the circumstances surrounding the reported discrepancies and seek documented explanations from INEC.
He cited a polling unit allegedly associated with Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, where the number of registered voters reportedly increased from 397 during the 2024 governorship election to 4,783 in the 2026 preliminary register.
Uwakwe said the difference of 4,386 voters represented an increase of approximately 1,105 per cent.
“We will be questioning the circumstances surrounding the increase, and documented explanation from INEC. We’re also concerned about suspicious voter photographs, including images alleged to have been generated using artificial intelligence,” he said.
The groups said the summit would also examine the responsibilities of citizens in preserving polling-unit results as evidence for independent verification and possible election petitions.
In his presentation, the Executive Director of ASIF, Mr Chidi Lucky Kanu, examined records relating to the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State, challenging INEC, electoral stakeholders, journalists and Nigerians to subject the findings to rigorous scrutiny.
Kanu said Nigeria needed stronger mechanisms for preserving authentic polling-unit results to support independent verification and lawful resolution of electoral disputes.
According to him, election credibility depends not only on voting and counting but also on the integrity of records available when results are challenged.
“This initiative will promote lawful election observation, documentation of polling-unit activities and preservation of authentic result-sheet evidence. Citizen-generated records must satisfy applicable legal requirements before they can be relied upon in election petitions,” he said.
The organisers said the summit would explore legal and technological options for independently preserving polling-unit results, including the conditions under which citizen-generated records could be admissible or useful in election tribunals.
They said INEC, electoral candidates, civil society organisations, legal practitioners, faith-based institutions and other Nigerians interested in credible elections would be invited to participate.
The groups said the initiative was aimed at strengthening electoral accountability and ensuring that credible evidence was available to support the resolution of disputes arising from the 2027 general elections.
