Democracy in Jeopardy? Atiku Alarms Nation Over 2027 Election Credibility Amid Voter Register Chaos

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has vehemently condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) admission of AI-generated images and other irregularities infiltrating the voter register. Describing it as a scandal that severely compromises the Commission’s credibility, Atiku, through Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, stated that INEC's acknowledgment of system abuse by its own registration officers represents a “catastrophic failure of leadership and safeguards.”

Atiku sharply criticized INEC's claim, attributed to Professor Joash Amupitan via Boyode Lawrence, that while it knows how its officers tampered with the register, it supposedly doesn't know why. He labeled this explanation as a “disgraceful evasion, not an answer,” questioning how a database holding millions of Nigerians’ votes could possess weaker security safeguards than ordinary social media accounts like WhatsApp or Facebook. This raises significant concerns about the fundamental integrity of the electoral system.

In response to these revelations, Atiku has issued several stringent demands. He insists that INEC must immediately disclose all evidence related to the compromised register, identify every officer involved in the misconduct, and explain why these individuals have not yet been suspended and prosecuted. Atiku stressed that merely admitting wrongdoing without revealing the perpetrators and their motivations is unacceptable and that Amupitan must account for this leadership failure.

Furthermore, Atiku called for an independent forensic audit of the voter register, particularly in light of allegations that over 20 million AI-generated images might be present. To ensure a thorough investigation, he demanded the preservation of every voter record, image file, access log, and audit trail. He urged that accredited independent experts, political parties, civil society organizations, and credible international observers be allowed to examine this evidence, asserting that no disputed record should be certified until the audit is complete.

Beyond the voter register, Atiku also highlighted INEC’s persistent refusal to disclose the identities of companies contracted to produce sensitive election materials. He argued that such secrecy is fundamentally incompatible with the principles of a credible election. He demanded that if the APC government possesses this information and understands the applicable protocols, opposition parties must be afforded the same transparency, insisting on the publication of contractors’ identities and a full explanation of the safeguards governing their work.

Concluding his statement, Atiku warned that if INEC continues to withhold the truth, he would pursue legal action to compel disclosure. He also called upon opposition leaders and the international community to join the demand for an independent audit, full transparency, and accountability. He directly accused President Tinubu’s government of enabling this crisis by allowing INEC to evade proper scrutiny, asserting that INEC’s assurances are “worthless” until it names culprits, exposes contractors, and submits its register and election materials to independent examination. According to Atiku, the very credibility of the 2027 election hangs in the balance.