The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has attributed the appearance of suspected artificial intelligence (AI)-generated photographs in its preliminary voter register to irregular actions by some registration officers who had authorised access to its registration system.
Speaking on Arise Television on Friday, INEC's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, revealed that the commission uncovered the irregularities through its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which was used to audit voter registration records.
According to Bayode, a number of registration officers across different states allegedly used their login credentials to introduce questionable records into the voter database.
"We have registration officers in the field who have login details to access the system. What we found is that some of these officers, not all of them, carried out various actions that resulted in these irregularities appearing in the register," he said.
Bayode explained that while some of the suspicious images appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence, others were the result of poor registration practices.
"Some of these pictures are AI-generated, while others are simply the result of very poor registration procedures. These records entered the register through registration officers because they have the authority to register voters," he added.
The ICT director said INEC had identified the questionable entries and understood the methods used to create them, although the motives behind the actions remain unclear.
"When ABIS was run on the system, we detected these records. We know what was done and how it was done, but honestly, I do not know why," Bayode stated.
He noted that the commission had already begun cleaning up the register before releasing the preliminary version, adding that INEC was operating within the statutory 90-day timeframe required to complete the voter registration process.
The revelation follows public concern after INEC published its preliminary voter register online on 26 October. Social media users highlighted several suspicious photographs, particularly in parts of Edo State, where some images were alleged to have been generated using AI software.
Other concerns raised included duplicate entries and complaints from some registered voters who claimed their details were missing from the online register.
INEC had earlier clarified that the online register was the same preliminary register displayed at registration centres nationwide between 9 and 15 October during the Display, Claims and Objections exercise.
In a statement issued on 27 October, the commission confirmed that some questionable records had already been identified during the public display period and had been flagged for review. It stressed that the published register was not the final certified version and that data-cleaning efforts were still ongoing.
INEC is expected to complete its verification, adjudication and data-cleanup processes before certifying the final Register of Voters on 15 December 2026.
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