The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allegedly planning to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) to manipulate the 2027 general elections in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition party made the allegation in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesman, Osa Director, expressing concern over what it described as INEC’s growing interest in using AI for the forthcoming elections.
The NDC questioned the credibility of introducing the technology without first conducting public pilot tests during recent off-cycle elections.
It also argued that Nigeria had yet to fully harness AI to address major security challenges, questioning why the technology was being considered for managing elections.
“INEC is plotting to rig the 2027 general elections in favour of the ruinous APC by deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI). Suddenly, AI has become an attractive tool for the election management body,” the statement said.
The party added: “For a nation that has not been able to use AI to solve its intractable security challenges, is it the problem of electing public officers that it can now resolve with AI?”
The NDC further questioned why INEC had not tested the technology during previous off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun governorship election.
“Not even a test run of the efficiency, or otherwise, of AI tools in off-cycle elections? Why did INEC not test-run AI in the Osun polls? Why the hurry to use AI in the forthcoming general elections, just less than 100 days away? Something is amiss,” it stated.
The party called on Nigerians and the international community to closely monitor preparations for the 2027 elections, urging stakeholders to scrutinise the electoral commission’s plans for deploying the technology.
“All men and women of good conscience and the international community must rise to checkmate this diabolical plot by INEC,” the statement added.
The NDC concluded its statement with the slogan: “A New Nigeria is POssible. We can do it!”
The allegation comes amid intensifying political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections and growing public interest in the role of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.
INEC has maintained that it is committed to conducting free, fair and credible elections in accordance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
