The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given President Bola Tinubu a seven-day ultimatum to order an independent investigation into suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and alleged manipulation of personal information in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) preliminary Register of Voters.
SERAP urged the President to direct the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to investigate the reported irregularities, establish whether they violated the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and identify those responsible.
The organisation said the NDPC must independently exercise its legal powers to establish what happened, protect affected voters and ensure that anyone found responsible for unlawful activities is held accountable.
In a letter dated October 31, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP warned that the allegations raised serious concerns about the protection of Nigerians’ personal information and the credibility of the country’s voter register.
The organisation said it expected the Federal Government to address its demands within seven days of receiving or publishing the letter. It also threatened to pursue legal action and other lawful measures if the authorities failed to respond.
SERAP further called for arrangements that would allow Nigerians whose registration details were affected to verify and correct their records without being wrongly excluded from participating in the 2027 general elections.
The demand followed INEC’s acknowledgement of suspicious registration records and suspected AI-generated photographs discovered during the nationwide display of the preliminary voter register between October 9 and 15, 2026.
On October 27, INEC disclosed that it had identified questionable registration records during the exercise and flagged them for further investigation.
The commission also acknowledged concerns about suspected AI-generated photographs appearing in the preliminary register published on its website.
According to SERAP, INEC said it had started reviewing the affected records and taking corrective measures while investigating possible technical and procedural failures that could have contributed to the irregularities.
The electoral body also explained that the online register did not capture all the data-cleaning activities already underway, stressing that the preliminary register was not the final certified version.
INEC said it would complete its verification, adjudication and data-cleaning exercises before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.
However, SERAP maintained that INEC’s internal review was not sufficient, insisting that the NDPC must conduct an independent investigation within its statutory responsibilities.
The organisation called for a forensic examination of the affected databases and computer systems to establish whether Nigerians’ personal information had been unlawfully accessed, altered or manipulated.
It also urged the NDPC to determine the number of affected registration records, their geographical distribution, when the suspicious records were created or modified and the individuals or institutions responsible.
SERAP expressed concerns that the reported incidents could involve unauthorised access to personal information, misuse of official login credentials and failure to maintain adequate security measures to protect the voter database.
It also asked the data protection commission to establish whether the incidents amounted to a personal data breach under Section 65 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and whether INEC fulfilled its legal obligations concerning breach notification and record-keeping.
The organisation warned that any unlawful alteration or compromise of the voter database could affect the accuracy of the electoral register, weaken public confidence in elections and expose eligible Nigerians to the risk of wrongful exclusion.
SERAP also referenced Section 37 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees citizens’ right to privacy, alongside Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protect citizens’ rights to participate in government and vote in genuine elections.
The organisation urged the NDPC to recommend appropriate corrective measures, strengthen security protections and establish accessible procedures through which affected Nigerians could check and correct their registration details.
It further called for the publication of the investigation’s findings and recommendations, subject to legal protections, and appropriate accountability measures against anyone found responsible for wrongdoing.
SERAP stressed that an accurate and secure voter register was essential to protecting Nigerians’ personal information and safeguarding their democratic rights.
It warned that failure to properly investigate and resolve the reported irregularities before INEC certifies the final register could undermine confidence in the electoral process and affect eligible voters’ participation in the 2027 general elections.
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