2027: APC, SDP, Others Demand Measures Against AI Election Manipulation

By Ademu Idakwo, Helen Onyemowo Foster, Abuja

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Labour Party yesterday told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to build a system that guarantees credible election outcomes, following concerns that artificial intelligence could be used to spread misinformation ahead of the 2027 elections.

The parties stated this in reaction to INEC chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan’s, recent warning that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence had created new challenges for election management, particularly because manipulated audio, video and images could be generated and circulated to a large audience with increasing speed and sophistication.

The INEC chairman had stressed the need for greater public awareness and vigilance against the misuse of technology to distort information about elections.

But INEC, yesterday, clarified that it lacks the power to punish individuals who deliberately spread false information about the electoral process, saying offenders could instead face relevant law enforcement agencies under existing cybercrime laws.

The commission, however, said its responsibility was to provide accurate information and intensify public enlightenment to prevent misinformation from undermining confidence in the 2027 general elections.

Parties React to AI Fears

APC’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, stressed that INEC must ensure that any information it gives out is accurate and not easily susceptible to manipulation.

Ibrahim, in an interview with LEADERSHIP Friday, noted that as much as AI has attained global attention and acceptance, it has also become a tool for mischief.

He, however, added: “There can be mischief, but it is now left for whoever is dishing out information or whoever is doing something that is vulnerable to manipulation by AI to be very factual and make sure he does everything that needs to be done to defend the integrity and quality of the material he or she is dishing out.

“Mischief can be in any way, in any form and from anywhere, just like misinformation and hate speeches that systems are fighting against. The same thing can be a subject of manipulation by AI.

“So I feel the challenge is more on INEC to make sure that everything it is giving out carries the tag of integrity, carries the tag of correctness and is not something that can easily be manipulated. It is left for the viewers, listeners or whoever is responsible for looking at the material to be able to differentiate between what is genuine and what is fake.

“I think that that fear is misplaced. I don’t think simply because of AI they will say, except if they are planning to do something mischievous that is capable of being manipulated. But if they are conscious and they are quite factual in what they give, they have no worry, they have no reason to worry about what AI will do to manipulate or change the authenticity of what they give out. The quality of what they issue is what will be decided by the public.”

On its part, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said the alarm raised by INEC over possible AI-driven disinformation in the 2027 election is nothing for Nigerians to worry about.

In an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Friday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, expressed confidence that the Electoral Management Body has adequate human and material resources to checkmate and counter possible digital breaches.

Aiyenigba said INEC must live up to its mandate of delivering credible elections, adding that the commission has sufficient funds to put structures in place to safeguard the integrity of its operations. “Nigerians expect nothing less,” he said.

He, however, said the SDP is currently conducting nationwide training for sub-national officials, which will equip its members and gatekeepers with practical digital literacy skills.

“The programme is designed to build capacity in all aspects of the electoral process and enhance the party’s election management,” he stated.

He stressed that the training will enable them to identify misinformation and biased media content, positively influence digital communications and promote ethical online information.

He added that the training also focuses on transparency and accountability in political leadership and communication.

Labour Party presidential candidate, Dr Chibuzor Okereke, called for the establishment of real-time fact-checking infrastructure to combat artificial intelligence-driven fake news ahead of the 2027 general election.

Okereke, in a chat with LEADERSHIP Friday, said while INEC was right to raise the alarm over the possible misuse of AI to spread disinformation, “Rather than an alarm, what we should be talking about is regulation,” he said.

Okereke argued that Nigeria needs clear guidelines on the do’s and don’ts of AI use in elections so that offenders can be prosecuted under existing laws.

He noted that many of the abuses associated with AI, such as spreading false videos or manipulating content, already constitute crimes. However, he said the specific applications of AI in the electoral process must be clearly highlighted to remove ambiguity.

The LP candidate warned that AI could also be used to deny authentic incidents, with politicians claiming real videos are AI-generated to evade responsibility for inciting violence.

“Nigeria must invest in technology and systems that can verify videos and other content on social media in real time,” he stated.

Okereke further proposed the mapping of “AI misinformation hotspots” on digital platforms, similar to security hotspots.

He said this would help authorities identify groups and regions prone to spreading falsehoods and enable targeted interventions during the campaign period.

He also raised concerns about foreign interference, stating that individuals outside Nigeria could deploy AI to psychologically influence voters and gain undue electoral advantage.

He stressed that monitoring efforts must extend beyond the country’s borders to safeguard the integrity of the 2027 polls.

INEC

Meanwhile, the INEC Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, in an interview with LEADERSHIP Friday, said the commission was stepping up its public enlightenment campaign because of the growing danger posed by false claims circulated on social media and attributed to INEC officials.

He said the objective was to ensure that voters could distinguish official information from fabricated claims capable of creating confusion and distrust in the electoral process.

“INEC is stepping up its public enlightenment campaign to ensure a clear atmosphere on the social media platforms where some people can wake up to say INEC said this or the chairman said that, to fuel mutual distrust,” he said.

The INEC official identified the unauthorised declaration of election results on social media as one of the forms of misinformation that could have serious consequences during the electoral process.

He said individuals could deliberately circulate purported results or other false electoral information before INEC had completed its official process, potentially misleading voters and creating unnecessary tension.

Ifogah said while INEC would continue to educate Nigerians and provide authoritative information, the commission was not a law enforcement agency empowered to interpret or prosecute cybercrime offences.

“On our own part, we are not the law, but the law is clearly stated about cybercrime and we are not in the position to interpret it,” he said.

He added that persons who used digital platforms to commit offences would be subject to the relevant cybercrime laws and dealt with by the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

Ifogah urged Nigerians to exercise caution when consuming and sharing election-related information online, stressing the importance of verifying claims through official INEC channels.