2027 Election Alarm! Who Is On INEC’s Voter Register? EU Ambassador Warns Of AI Manipulation As Suspected Fake Photos Surface!
By Passman Akpos
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Gautier Mignot, has warned that artificial intelligence (AI)-generated disinformation and other forms of information manipulation could undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, erode public trust and mislead voters.
The warning comes amid growing concerns following the discovery of suspected AI-generated photographs on multiple voter profiles in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) online voters’ register, raising fresh questions about the integrity of electoral data ahead of the next general elections.
Mignot issued the warning on Monday while speaking at the Beyond the Ballot summit, an initiative focused on protecting electoral information integrity and ensuring that citizens make informed political choices based on credible information.
The European envoy noted that while artificial intelligence could enhance translation, accessibility and communication, the technology could equally be exploited to produce deceptive content capable of misleading voters and weakening democratic institutions.
“Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support translation, accessibility, and communication, but it can also make deception easier to produce and harder to recognise. We should not make technology the whole story. A misleading message does not need sophisticated AI to cause harm,” Mignot said.
He warned that electoral manipulation could occur through fabricated announcements directing voters to incorrect polling locations or false claims about election results circulated before official verification.
According to him, such tactics could create confusion, disrupt the electoral process and fuel suspicions about the credibility of election outcomes.
“An election can be undermined without a single ballot being altered. A fabricated announcement can send voters to the wrong location. A false claim about results can deepen suspicion before verified information reaches the public,” he stated.
Mignot stressed that the ultimate objective of electoral disinformation was not merely to manipulate information but to weaken public confidence in democratic institutions.
“The immediate target is information. The deeper target is trust,” he added.
The ambassador further noted that electoral disinformation and foreign interference were not problems exclusive to Nigeria, explaining that European democracies had also experienced various forms of information manipulation during election periods.
He described the challenge as a global phenomenon requiring collective action and stronger safeguards to protect the credibility of electoral information.
“These are global phenomenons, and this is why this summit matters. Its focus is precise, protecting the integrity of electoral information so that citizens can make their choices free with access to information they can trust,” Mignot said.
SUSPECTED AI-GENERATED PHOTOGRAPHS SURFACE ON INEC VOTER REGISTER
The ambassador’s warning comes against the backdrop of a report by SaharaReporters concerning suspected AI-generated photographs allegedly discovered on multiple voter profiles on INEC’s official online voters’ register.
According to the report, an examination of voter profiles on the electoral commission’s website revealed photographs suspected of being artificially generated rather than authentic images of registered voters.
Among the profiles reportedly examined were those bearing the names Ealefoh Oritsenoma, Ebamenbhegbe Besi, Ebhohimen Godwin, Jacob Gabriel, Maniru Noah, Matthew Isaac and Odion Bibi.
The voter identification numbers displayed alongside the profiles were partially masked.
The reported discovery has raised questions about the authenticity of photographs associated with the voter records, the verification procedures adopted by INEC and the safeguards available to prevent potentially fabricated images from appearing in an official electoral database.
However, the photographs have been described as suspected AI-generated images, and their authenticity has not been independently established.
INEC FACES FRESH QUESTIONS AHEAD OF 2027
The development comes as INEC prepares for the 2027 general elections and reportedly announces plans to introduce AI-powered tools into aspects of its electoral operations.
The emergence of suspected artificial intelligence-generated images on voter profiles has intensified concerns about the potential risks associated with the deployment of AI technologies in electoral processes.
Electoral observers and stakeholders are increasingly concerned that the misuse of artificial intelligence could extend beyond online propaganda to potentially affect voter identification, public communication and confidence in election-related information.
The central challenge for electoral authorities is ensuring that technological innovation does not compromise transparency, accountability and public trust.
As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, questions surrounding the reliability of electoral information, the integrity of voter databases and the capacity of INEC to detect and prevent digital manipulation are likely to attract heightened public scrutiny.
With the growing sophistication of AI-generated content, the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process may depend not only on the accuracy of ballot counting but also on the ability of electoral authorities to protect the information upon which voters rely to make democratic choices.
