2027: Obedient Movement rejects INEC’s plan to deploy AI

The Obedient Movement has expressed strong disapproval of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for contemplating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the 2027 general elections, without first addressing crucial concerns over electoral transparency, result transmission, and the credibility of electoral processes.

Dr. Yunusa Tanko, the National Coordinator of the movement, made this stance clear in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday. This warning came in response to recent disclosures made by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, regarding the commission's plans to integrate AI tools into its electoral processes ahead of the 2027 polls.

Prof. Amupitan had previously stated that INEC had already begun deploying AI tools to identify discrepancies and administrative errors in election results. He also mentioned that the commission was taking steps to safeguard against AI-generated disinformation, such as cloned voices of electoral officers, deepfake videos, forged official documents, and fabricated result sheets.

However, Dr. Tanko rejected these proposals, arguing that INEC had not adequately outlined the technical details of the proposed technology, the specific issues it aims to resolve, or the measures to prevent potential misuse.

"The INEC that has been unable to resolve the fundamental issues of electoral transparency, result transmission, and the credibility of its processes now seeks to introduce Artificial Intelligence in the 2027 elections. This proposal is entirely rejected, especially when the commission has not clarified how this technology will function, what problems it intends to address, or the safeguards designed to prevent its abuse," Tanko emphasized.

Referring to a recent investigation by Mundx Analytics, which claimed that presidential results from over 50,000 polling units were transmitted via mobile phones, Tanko contended that technological advancements cannot compensate for a lack of institutional integrity. "Embedding AI into a system that has yet to address its existing weaknesses is not electoral reform; it is an attempt to divert Nigerians' focus from key questions regarding the independence, transparency, and accountability of electoral institutions," he added.

To restore public confidence in the electoral process, the Obedient Movement outlined several demands, urging INEC to publish a comprehensive roadmap for the 2027 general elections, detailing all technologies, procedures, and safety measures that will be implemented. They also called for an independent audit of the commission's existing electoral technologies, with transparent disclosure of the results and subsequent corrective actions.

Furthermore, Tanko insisted that any AI tools proposed for use must undergo rigorous independent testing and public scrutiny before being implemented.