The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct an independent forensic audit of the voters’ register following concerns over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs, duplicate entries and records allegedly belonging to unidentified persons.
The forum also urged the judiciary and electoral institutions to operate independently and resolve pending political disputes expeditiously ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that prolonged uncertainty over party leadership and candidates’ eligibility could undermine voters’ right to make informed democratic choices.
The demands were contained in a statement issued on Monday and jointly signed by SMBLF Chairman and Afenifere leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan; President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata; National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ambassador Godknows Igali; and President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu.
The forum expressed concern over the political atmosphere ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, noting that questions surrounding the credibility of the electoral register, political intimidation and unresolved party disputes could weaken public confidence in the process.
It described reports of suspected AI-generated photographs, duplicate entries and questionable identities in INEC’s preliminary voters’ register as matters requiring urgent attention.
“Our most urgent concern is the disturbing discovery of suspected Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated photographs, duplicate entries and records reportedly belonging to unknown persons in the preliminary voters’ register published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“These revelations followed public release of registration data and have provoked widespread anxiety about the credibility of the forthcoming polls,” the statement said.
Consequently, the leaders called for a forensic audit involving electoral technology specialists, civil society organisations and other qualified stakeholders to establish the authenticity and integrity of the register.
They also urged INEC to demonstrate its readiness to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) effectively, secure election infrastructure, train electoral personnel adequately and ensure transparent collation and prompt publication of polling-unit results in line with the law.
The forum said lessons must be drawn from previous controversies surrounding the use of technology in election result transmission to prevent a recurrence and restore public confidence.
On the political front, the SMBLF’s position comes amid uncertainty surrounding the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja which nullified the leadership of the Senator David Mark-led caretaker committee and invalidated actions taken by the affected executives on behalf of the party.
The forum warned that unresolved disputes over party leadership and candidates’ eligibility could deprive voters of meaningful choices if they persist close to election day. It therefore called on the judiciary and electoral institutions to discharge their constitutional responsibilities without political interference.
The leaders also condemned reported attacks on political figures, including the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, in Makurdi, and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential hopeful Omoyele Sowore in Ekiti State.
They called on security agencies to investigate the incidents impartially, identify those responsible and prosecute offenders where evidence establishes culpability.
“Whatever their political affiliations, no candidate or supporter should face violence for participating in democratic activities. Security agencies must investigate these incidents impartially, identify perpetrators and sponsors where evidence warrants, and bring offenders before the courts,” the statement added.
The forum further condemned the destruction of campaign billboards, posters and other political materials, describing such actions as unacceptable and capable of escalating political tensions.
However, the SMBLF clarified that it had not adopted any political party or presidential candidate as its collective choice ahead of the 2027 elections.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the SMBLF has not adopted any presidential candidate or political party as the collective choice of the Forum.
“Our commitment is to a peaceful, credible and inclusive electoral process in which every eligible Nigerian can vote freely, without coercion, inducement or fear,” the leaders stated.