INEC correcting irregularities in preliminary voter register

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission is correcting irregular entries in its preliminary voter register after its ICT director said registration officers had introduced questionable records, including some AI-generated photographs. Opposition politician Atiku Abubakar has demanded an independent audit and identification of officials involved, while the commission says the register remains subject to corrections before scheduled certification on December 15, 2026. INEC ICT Director Lawrence Bayode said some registration officers across the country used their access to the registration system to introduce irregular records. He said the commission knew how some irregularities occurred but did not know the officers’ motives. Bayode also said some photographs were AI-generated, while others resulted from poor registration procedures. The reports do not establish a verified nationwide count of irregular records. The register published online on October 26 was preliminary, INEC said. It had been displayed physically from October 9 to 15 for claims and objections, and the commission said the online version did not reflect all ongoing corrections. INEC is reviewing...