Follow Us on Google
• Movement demands verifiable results, publication of collation forms
From Ndubuisi Orji and Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Obidient Movement has rejected the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) artificial intelligence (AI) initiative for the 2027 general elections, demanding that the technology be excluded from results collation and that every result remain independently verifiable.
In a separate statement, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, said the party would comply with electoral rules but would not accept rigging or allow itself to be rigged out.
The movement, in a statement issued by its Media and Communications Directorate and signed by Onyeka Dike, described INEC’s proposed deployment as “reckless and unacceptable”, citing the commission’s disclosure that its AI governance policy was still being finalised.
“INEC cannot tell Nigerians that it intends to introduce AI into one of the most sensitive stages of the electoral process while simultaneously admitting that the rules governing its use are still being developed.
“Nigerians are not guinea pigs for another untested electoral experiment. We reject the use of AI in results collation and demand that INEC immediately abandon the plan,” it said.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, had told Tuesday’s stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja that the commission established an AI division within its Information and Communications Technology Department and integrated automated auditing tools into results verification.
He said the tools would operate under a five-pillar governance framework with mandatory human oversight.
“An AI governance framework policy is being finalised by the commission,” Amupitan said.
The movement argued that INEC should prioritise restoring public confidence following what it described as the credibility crisis surrounding the 2023 elections.
Citing alleged alterations and defacing of result sheets, it maintained that the problems witnessed in 2023 were not caused by a lack of technology and called for stronger transparency and accountability.
Other News
It demanded a system in which results could be traced from polling units through every stage of collation to the final declaration and independently checked by political parties, observers, journalists and citizens.
The movement also questioned Amupitan’s warning against announcing or declaring results not released by INEC.
“While the commission has the statutory authority to declare official results, such warnings, coming at a time when INEC is simultaneously pushing an unfinalised AI framework, raise serious questions about what the commission is trying to control and why,” it said.
It called for a clear, transparent and independently auditable framework for every technology to be deployed in the elections, alongside the publication of Forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C, EC8D and EC8E on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
“The votes of Nigerians belong to Nigerians. No algorithm, server, software, official or political party has the right to alter the wishes of the people,” the movement said.
Meanwhile, Mark issued the ADC’s warning during a courtesy visit by the Governing Council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development to the party’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to a statement by the Office of the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mark said the party would abide by INEC’s rules and its Orange Book, which encapsulates its principles.
“We are committed to playing politics in a manner that promotes public confidence in democracy. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of good conduct as a political party. We will play by the rules. But we will not accept rigging or allow ourselves to be rigged out,” he said.
The council, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, said the visit formed part of the centre’s ongoing engagements with political parties and leaders ahead of the elections.
Ariwoola reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections and urged the ADC leadership to encourage its candidates and members to comply with INEC’s rules and eschew political violence.
