The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is facing fresh questions over irregularities in Nigeria’s voter register following an admission by its Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) during an interview on ARISE News.
Dr Lawrence Bayode the Director of Information and Communication Technology of INEC said this on Friday October 30 2026 that registration officers were responsible for irregularities found in the voter register, including the use of AI generated photographs.
Bayode said the commission discovered the questionable entries through its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which was used to examine voter registration records and identify suspicious information.
He stressed that not all registration officers were involved, but said the problem extended beyond the locations initially highlighted on social media, with officers in different states allegedly introducing irregularities into the database.
He also clarified that not all the questionable photographs were AI generated. Some resulted from what he described as very poor registration practices.
The disclosure followed public outrage after INEC published its preliminary voters register online on October 26, 2026. Nigerians raised concerns over suspicious photographs, alleged duplicate entries and reports from registered voters who could not find their details on the online register.
INEC has said it is reviewing the affected records and working to clean up the database. Bayode expressed confidence that the identified irregularities would be addressed before the final register is certified on December 15, 2026.
However, the commission’s explanation has left important questions unanswered.
Has INEC identified the names of the registration officers responsible? Have the officers been suspended, arrested or handed over to law enforcement agencies? Has anyone been charged or prosecuted?
The issue goes beyond correcting photographs and removing questionable entries. Nigerians deserve to know how the irregularities happened, who was responsible and what consequences those involved will face.
Electoral offences relating to false information, forged documents and unlawful voter registration are covered by Nigeria’s Electoral Act. INEC’s own published guide to electoral offences outlines penalties for relevant violations.
Cleaning up the register may correct the records, but it does not replace accountability. The commission must also explain what action it is taking against officials found to have abused their access to the registration system.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, public confidence in the voter register remains essential.
The central question is no longer just how the fake and questionable records entered the system. It is whether those responsible will be identified and held accountable.
