2027: Algorithms Won’t Decide Nigeria’s Leaders, Amupitan Vows
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that artificial intelligence will not determine the outcome of the 2027 general elections, insisting that…
INEC has in recent election cycles leaned heavily on technology — from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to electronic transmission of results — as part of efforts to curb rigging and boost public trust after decades of disputed polls. Each innovation has, however, drawn fresh scrutiny over glitches, transmission delays and allegations of manipulation, keeping the question of how much power machines should have over Nigeria's democratic process a recurring flashpoint.
Amupitan's remarks come as the commission begins laying groundwork for the 2027 general elections, with growing global conversation around artificial intelligence's role in elections — from deepfakes and disinformation to automated vote-counting — adding urgency to how INEC frames its technology policy. Both reports agree on his core assurance that human oversight, not algorithms, will remain decisive, but neither outlet details the specific safeguards, timelines or technical systems INEC plans to deploy to back up that pledge.