- Algorithm Will Not Choose Nigeria’s Next Leaders- Amupitan Vows
- Demands Tougher Security Against Intimidation, Electoral Violence
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that artificial intelligence will not determine the outcome of the 2027 general election, warning that technology must never override the will of Nigerian voters, as it called for stronger security measures to protect persons with disabilities from intimidation and electoral violence.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the declaration amid growing concerns over the role of artificial intelligence in elections, cybersecurity threats and the safety of vulnerable voters, stressing that credible elections must guarantee both the integrity of the ballot and every citizen’s right to vote freely.
“Let me, as the chair of INEC, answer it unequivocally, no! Algorithms will not and must never decide the 2027 votes,” Amupitan declared at the AI and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja.
“Algorithms will not decide the votes because the choice of who leads Nigeria belongs exclusively to the Nigerian people.”
The INEC chairman, however, maintained that artificial intelligence could strengthen election administration, improve logistics and enhance result verification, provided its deployment remained within a clear governance framework with human oversight.
He disclosed that the commission had already incorporated AI components into some of its electoral technologies, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which uses facial recognition and fingerprint technology to verify voters.
According to him, INEC has also deployed predictive logistics optimisation to improve the distribution of election materials and the timely commencement of voting.
Amupitan said reports from civil society groups and election observers had indicated improvements in the early deployment of materials and commencement of voting during elections conducted under his leadership.
Since assuming office on October 23, 2025, he said, the commission had overseen five major elections and more than 16 by-elections, using the exercises to test and improve its operational systems.
He added that INEC had established a dedicated artificial intelligence division within its information and communication technology department to strengthen cybersecurity and support result verification ahead of the 2027 polls.
The commission, he said, had also integrated automated AI auditing tools into its result verification process under a five-pillar AI governance framework that provides for mandatory human oversight.
Amupitan said INEC was finalising its AI governance policy to establish safeguards for the technology’s use in the electoral process, noting that some aspects of its preparations could not be disclosed publicly because of cybersecurity concerns.
But beyond the threat of technological interference, the INEC chairman warned that the credibility of the 2027 election would also depend on whether voters with disabilities and other vulnerable groups could participate without fear, discrimination or physical barriers.
Speaking at an engagement organised by TAF Africa for officers of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, Amupitan said intimidation, insecurity and inaccessible polling units could deny eligible Nigerians their constitutional right to vote.
“An election cannot be considered inclusive if persons with disabilities or other vulnerability groups face intimidation, insecurity, or other barriers to exercising their rights,” he said.
He urged the police to respond promptly to security incidents involving persons with disabilities and ensure that officers received appropriate training to identify and address the needs of voters with different disabilities.
Amupitan noted that voters with hearing impairments might require visual communication, while those with visual impairments could need verbal guidance and other appropriate assistance.
He stressed that election security must cover the entire electoral cycle, from voter registration and political campaigns to rallies, polling and the post-election period.
The chairman said INEC’s electoral regulations already provide for priority access, appropriate assistance and assistive voting materials for persons with disabilities, insisting that such support must not compromise voters’ privacy, independence or freedom of choice.
“Every eligible citizen has a right to vote. That right must be accessible to every Nigerian citizen, regardless of disability or displacement,” he said.
He charged police officers to remain professional and impartial, protect voters and prevent electoral violence, warning against practices that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
The Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, also called on the police to integrate disability-inclusive guidelines into their election security operations ahead of the 2027 general election.
Mignot said police officers must be adequately trained to protect voters with disabilities against intimidation, violence and discriminatory treatment during electoral activities.
He identified inaccessible information, unsafe polling environments and inadequate security responses as barriers that continued to restrict the full exercise of the political rights of persons with disabilities.
“Preparation for the 2027 general election should ensure that disability inclusion is reflected in relevant security plans, personnel training, operational briefings and emergency response arrangements,” the EU ambassador said.
With INEC promising stronger technological safeguards and electoral stakeholders demanding more inclusive security arrangements, the commission faces the task of ensuring that the 2027 election is not only protected against digital threats but also accessible, peaceful and credible for every eligible Nigerian.
