'Name the culprits' – Atiku dares INEC over AI-generated images in voter register

The controversy surrounding the voter register released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, continues to generate reactions.

This comes as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, dared INEC to name the officers behind the AI-generated images and irregularities in the voter register and expose the companies handling sensitive election materials.

Atiku threw the challenge in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, on Friday.

Atiku described as a catastrophic failure the electoral body’s admission that its registration officers introduced the irregularities.

“Publish the contractors’ identities and explain the safeguards governing their work”, Atiku daid.

He slammed INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, over his statement, made through the Commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, ICT, Dr Lawrence Bayode, that INEC knows what its officers did but does not know why, describing it as a disgraceful evasion.

Atiku warned INEC against quietly cleaning up the register and burying the evidence, insisting that the allegation that over 20 million AI-generated images may be involved requires an independent forensic audit.

Recall that three days ago, INEC published the preliminary voters’ register amid pressure from opposition parties, including Atiku Abubakar’s ADC.

However, the voter register has been trailed by concerns over AI-generated images.

Reacting to the controversy, INEC vowed to review the register.

Bayode said during a recent Arise Television interview that registration officers allegedly used their official login details to introduce irregularities.