The Obidient Movement has opposed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) proposed use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the conduct of the 2027 general elections, insisting that concerns surrounding electoral transparency and accountability must first be addressed.
The movement’s National Coordinator, Dr Yunusa Tanko, expressed the group’s position in Abuja following remarks by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, on the commission’s plans to deploy AI tools ahead of the elections.
Amupitan had explained that the technology would help electoral officials identify inconsistencies and administrative errors in election records. The commission is also working to tackle the growing threat of AI-generated misinformation, including fabricated result sheets, manipulated videos, cloned voices and forged official documents. (TheNigeriaLawyer)
However, Tanko argued that introducing new technology without resolving questions about the commission’s existing electoral systems could further weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
He said Nigerians needed clear explanations about how the proposed AI systems would operate, the specific challenges they were intended to address and the measures that would prevent possible misuse.
The movement maintained that technology alone could not guarantee credible elections without transparency, institutional accountability and public trust.
According to the group, INEC should prioritise addressing concerns about electronic result transmission and the reliability of its electoral processes before expanding its use of emerging technologies.
The controversy comes amid renewed discussions about the management and accessibility of electronic election records from the 2023 general elections. Questions raised about the commission’s Result Viewing Portal, commonly known as IReV, have contributed to calls for greater transparency in preparations for the next polls.
In response to the concerns surrounding its digital systems, the movement has called for an independent audit of INEC’s existing electoral technology. It wants the findings made public, alongside details of any identified weaknesses and the corrective measures taken.
The group has also urged the commission to publish a comprehensive plan for the 2027 elections, outlining the technologies to be used, their intended functions and the safeguards governing their deployment.
Tanko further called for a transparent and verifiable result-transmission process that would ensure figures recorded at polling units are accurately reflected during the collation of results.
The movement also wants any AI systems proposed for the elections to undergo independent testing and public scrutiny before they are put into operation.
Meanwhile, INEC has maintained that its planned use of AI is intended to assist with identifying errors and discrepancies rather than replace human decision-making. The commission has also highlighted the need to protect the electoral process against increasingly sophisticated forms of digital misinformation.
The disagreement therefore centres on how the technology should be introduced, the level of transparency required and the safeguards necessary to maintain confidence in the electoral process.
Tanko urged the INEC leadership to address the movement’s concerns well ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that public confidence in the electoral process remains essential to democratic governance.
