Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission to disclose evidence of alleged irregularities in the voters’ register, warning that the commission must not conceal evidence under the guise of cleaning up the database.
Atiku described INEC’s admission that artificial intelligence-generated images and other irregularities entered the register through registration officers as a major threat to the commission’s credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He made the remarks in a statement issued by the Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu.
The former Vice-President demanded that INEC identify officials allegedly involved in manipulating the register and explain why they had not been suspended or prosecuted.
He said the commission could not acknowledge that its registration system had been compromised while claiming ignorance of the reasons behind the irregularities.
“INEC has admitted that some AI-generated images are on the voters’ 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,” Atiku said.
He also questioned the security of INEC’s information technology infrastructure, arguing that the database containing millions of voters’ records should not be vulnerable to manipulation.
Atiku further faulted the commission’s handling of the allegations, insisting that its chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, must provide explanations rather than offer what he described as evasive responses.
He said, “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.”
The former presidential candidate also called for an independent forensic audit of the voters’ register, following claims that more than 20 million AI-generated images might have been involved.
He urged INEC to preserve all voter records, image files, access logs and audit trails to enable independent experts to investigate the alleged manipulation.
Atiku insisted that accredited experts, political parties, civil society organisations and credible international observers should be allowed to examine the records.
“INEC must not quietly ‘clean up’ the register and bury the evidence.
“No disputed record should be certified until the audit is complete,” he said.
He also accused the commission of failing to address opposition parties’ concerns over the companies contracted to produce sensitive election materials.
Atiku demanded that INEC publish the names of the contractors and disclose the security arrangements governing the production and handling of the materials.
He argued that secrecy surrounding the contracts was incompatible with efforts to build confidence in the electoral process.
The former Vice-President threatened legal action if the commission failed to provide the requested information.
“If INEC refuses to disclose the truth, we will go to court and compel it. Every official found to have tampered with the register must be prosecuted,” he said.
Atiku also called on opposition leaders and the international community to demand accountability, alleging that the Federal Government was allowing the commission to evade scrutiny.
He warned that INEC’s handling of the allegations could undermine public confidence in the 2027 elections.
