2027: INEC CHAIRMAN SAYS AI WON’T DECIDE NIGERIA’S VOTES
Read Time:3 Minute, 22 Second
By ‘Balogun Ibrahim
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, has said he has entrusted the responsibility of conducting the 2027 general election to God, acknowledging the enormous demands of the assignment.
Amupitan made the remarks on Wednesday at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, where he described his faith as a source of strength amid the challenges of leading the electoral body.
The forum, organised by Yiaga Africa, was themed “Safeguarding the 2027 General Election in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Speaking at the event, the INEC chairman said he remained encouraged by biblical teachings despite the magnitude of the task ahead.
“I’m being reminded of the enormity of the task on me. I’m also encouraged by the word of God, which is, ‘Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ So that has been my anchor.
“And sometimes people say, ‘You are not bothered.’ I said, I’ve handed over everything to God,” he said.
Amupitan also assured Nigerians that artificial intelligence would not determine the outcome of the 2027 general election, stressing that the authority to choose the country’s leaders rested solely with the electorate.
“No, algorithms will not and must never decide the 2027 votes. Algorithms will not decide the vote because the choice of who leads Nigeria belongs exclusively to the Nigerian people,” he stated.
He explained that although AI could influence the information available to voters, electoral logistics and political communication, its application must strengthen democratic processes rather than undermine them.
“Our task, therefore, at this forum and within the Commission is to ensure that AI remains a servant of democracy, not its master,” he added.
The INEC chairman disclosed that the 2027 general election would involve more than 103 million registered voters across 176,846 polling units in Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He identified challenging terrain, insecurity and inadequate network coverage in some communities as major logistical obstacles the commission would need to address in organising the nationwide exercise.
Despite the challenges, Amupitan said INEC had completed 10 of the 14 major activities outlined in its election timetable, notwithstanding the strict deadlines stipulated by the Electoral Act 2026.
He also disclosed that the commission had procured additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices and had begun receiving them to strengthen its technological capacity ahead of the elections.
According to him, INEC had digitised the candidate nomination process through its Candidate Nomination Portal, which had processed more than 15,000 nominations involving 22 political parties.
Amupitan further said the commission had introduced online voter registration and was implementing a decentralised, multi-phase collection process for Permanent Voter Cards nationwide.
On the potential application of artificial intelligence in election administration, he said the technology could improve the deployment of election materials and personnel through predictive modelling and geospatial analysis.
He explained that AI-powered systems could assess traffic conditions, weather forecasts, road networks and security incidents to identify suitable routes for transporting election materials to polling units.
Such systems, he added, could also provide early warnings about weather-related disruptions and enable the commission to identify logistical difficulties before election day.
Addressing electoral integrity, Amupitan said biometric voter accreditation and electronic transmission of polling-unit results had helped tackle vulnerabilities associated with manual accreditation and arbitrary manipulation of results.
He noted that AI could further assist in auditing uploaded polling-unit result sheets by identifying mathematical inconsistencies, unusual entry patterns and variations in image quality.
However, he emphasised that human collation remained the statutory standard for declaring election results, adding that artificial intelligence would serve as a supporting tool for detecting irregularities.
Amupitan said INEC would continue collaborating with civil society organisations, technology companies, regulatory agencies and security institutions to maximise the benefits of AI while addressing potential threats to the electoral process.
He maintained that technological advancements must reinforce democratic institutions without undermining the right of Nigerians to freely elect their leaders.
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