INEC warns media against fake results, deepfakes

….Urges journalists to prioritise verification over speed

By Steve Oko

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned journalists against amplifying unverified election results, manipulated content and misinformation capable of undermining public confidence in the 2027 general elections.

The Commission also disclosed that it was strengthening its technological infrastructure, cybersecurity and results management systems to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the polls.

Abia State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Sylvia Uchenna Agu, gave the warning on Wednesday at the 2026 Media Retreat and Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State Council, held at Bishop Nwedo Pastoral Centre, Umuahia.

Speaking on the theme, “Safeguarding Electoral Integrity in the Digital Age: INEC and the Media Ahead of the 2027 General Elections,” Agu identified misinformation, disinformation, artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes, cloned voices and manipulated result sheets as emerging threats to electoral credibility.

She urged media organisations to prioritise verification over speed, warning that the race to break news must not come at the expense of national stability and public trust.

“The race to break the news must not break the nation,” the REC cautioned, stressing that journalists must resist the temptation to publish unverified information in pursuit of exclusives.

She advised media practitioners to cross-check election-related information with INEC before broadcasting or publishing, noting that failure to verify claims could expose news organisations to credibility challenges.

Agu also cautioned against declaring results based on information from unauthorised sources, urging journalists not to become channels for disseminating unverified results.

She called on the media to support voter education by explaining relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly those relating to voter accreditation, electronic transmission of results and transparency in the electoral process.

The REC said the new legal framework had strengthened safeguards around elections, citing provisions mandating the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation and electronic transmission of polling unit results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

She also highlighted provisions prescribing penalties for officials who deliberately frustrate the electronic transmission of results, adding that the law had strengthened transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

On technological preparedness, Agu said INEC was building on lessons from previous elections to improve BVAS, IReV, the electronic EC8A and its Results Management System.

She explained that the electronic EC8A system was designed to detect inconsistencies between manually completed polling unit result sheets and electronically captured results, with discrepancies preventing uploads until they were resolved.

The REC recalled how BVAS helped expose an alleged manipulation of voter accreditation figures in a local government area of Abia State during the 2023 general elections.

According to her, BVAS recorded 27,000 accredited voters in the affected local government area, but the figure was allegedly altered manually to 102,000, triggering controversy.

“BVAS was the game changer in 2023. It checkmated frivolous accreditations. It was BVAS that saved the situation in Abia because, in a particular LGA, BVAS captured 27,000 as accredited voters, but it was handwritten as 102,000.

“So, when the controversy came up, our ICT experts simply looked at the figure in IReV as captured by BVAS,” Agu said.

She said the incident demonstrated the importance of technology in protecting electoral integrity and preventing discrepancies in accreditation figures from going undetected.

The REC urged Nigerians to repose confidence in INEC, assuring them that the Commission was strengthening its systems and processes to deliver credible elections in 2027.

She said the Commission was also enhancing cybersecurity, protecting election data, improving system monitoring and strengthening disaster recovery mechanisms to ensure the reliability of its digital infrastructure.

Agu disclosed that INEC was exploring the responsible application of artificial intelligence to improve planning, data analysis and operational efficiency while maintaining human oversight and accountability.

She, however, emphasised that technology alone could not guarantee credible elections without adequate training, testing, operational preparedness and collaboration among relevant departments and officials.

The REC described the media as a critical constitutional partner in the electoral process, citing Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates the press to hold government accountable.

She urged journalists to balance their watchdog responsibilities with professional ethics, accuracy and responsible reporting, particularly during the sensitive election period.

Agu said the Commission remained committed to collaborating with digital platforms to address demonstrably false electoral content while intensifying voter education through its official communication channels.

She expressed confidence that credible elections in 2027 would depend on the collective commitment of INEC, the media and other stakeholders to transparency, professionalism and the national interest.

The REC assured journalists of INEC’s continued openness to engagement, reiterating the Commission’s commitment to conducting free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.

More than 30 media practitioners participated in the retreat organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of Abia NUJ as part of its efforts to deepen democracy and enhance journalistic efficiency.

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