Disgraceful Evasion – Atiku Asks INEC To Name Officials Behind AI-Generated Images In Voter Register

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose the names of the officials responsible for including Artificial Intelligence (AI)- generated photographs in the voter register.

Naija News reports that Atiku made the call in a statement by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu.

He accused the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration of enabling the crisis by allowing INEC to evade scrutiny.

The former vice president lamented that the AI-generated images are a scandal that strikes at the heart of the commission’s credibility.

He called on opposition leaders and the international community to demand an independent audit, full disclosure and accountability on the voter register scandal.

“INEC has admitted that some AI generated images are on the voter register and that registration officers introduced irregularities across the country. The Commission charged with protecting Nigerians’ votes has acknowledged that its own system was abused by those entrusted to operate it. This is a catastrophic failure of leadership and safeguards.

“Professor Joash Amupitan through Boyode Lawrence says INEC knows what its officers did and how they tampered with the register, yet claims it does not know why. That is a disgraceful evasion, not an answer. Even ordinary WhatsApp, Facebook and email accounts appear to have stronger security safeguards than those INEC’s ICT director described on national television. How can the database holding the votes of millions of Nigerians be less secure than a personal social media account?

“If INEC knows how the register was compromised, it must disclose the evidence, identify every officer involved and explain why they have not been suspended and prosecuted. Amupitan cannot admit the misconduct, withhold the perpetrators’ identities and expect Nigerians to accept ignorance as an excuse. He must account for this failure now,” Atiku stated.

He stated that INEC must not quietly ‘clean up’ the voter register and bury the evidence, noting that allegations that more than 20 million AI generated images may be involved demands an independent forensic audit.

“INEC has no right to demand trust while concealing evidence and shielding those responsible. Name the culprits, expose the contractors and submit the register and election materials to independent scrutiny. Until then, its assurances are worthless. The credibility of the 2027 election is on the line,” he stated.