By: Jake Clifford
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, has said he has handed everything over to God as he prepares to conduct the 2027 general election. Amupitan made the remarks on Wednesday at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, where he acknowledged the enormous responsibility of overseeing the electoral process in Africa’s most populous country.
The forum, organised by Yiaga Africa, was held under the theme, “Safeguarding the 2027 General Election in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
Speaking at the event, the INEC chairman said his faith in God had remained a source of strength amid the challenges and expectations associated with his position.
He said, “I’m being reminded of the enormity of the task on me. I’m also encouraged by the word of God, which is, ‘Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ So that has been my anchor. “And sometimes people say, ‘You are not bothered.’ I said, I’ve handed over everything to God.”
Amupitan also assured Nigerians that artificial intelligence (AI) would not determine the outcome of the 2027 general election, insisting that the power to elect the country’s leaders rests solely with the people.
He stressed that although AI could influence political communication, electoral logistics and the information available to voters, it must not be allowed to override the will of the electorate. “No, algorithms will not and must never decide the 2027 votes. Algorithms will not decide the vote because the choice of who leads Nigeria belongs exclusively to the Nigerian people,” he said.
According to him, INEC’s responsibility is to ensure that emerging technologies support democratic processes rather than undermine electoral credibility. “Our task, therefore, at this forum and within the Commission is to ensure that AI remains a servant of democracy, not its master,” the chairman added.
INEC Faces Logistics Challenges Ahead of 2027 Polls
Amupitan disclosed that the 2027 general election would involve more than 103 million registered voters across 176,846 polling units in Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He identified difficult terrain, insecurity and poor network coverage in some communities as major challenges the commission must address to ensure effective election administration. Despite these challenges and the strict timelines stipulated by the Electoral Act 2026, Amupitan said INEC had completed 10 of the 14 major activities on its election timetable.
He also disclosed that the commission had procured and started receiving additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices to strengthen its technological capacity ahead of the polls.
The INEC chairman further revealed that the commission had digitised its candidate nomination process through the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal, which has processed more than 15,000 nominations across 22 political parties.
He added that the commission had introduced online voter registration and was implementing a decentralised, multi-phase Permanent Voter Card collection exercise nationwide.
How AI Could Improve Election Administration
Explaining the potential benefits of artificial intelligence, Amupitan said the technology could help INEC improve the deployment of election materials and personnel through predictive modelling and geospatial analysis. According to him, AI-powered systems could analyse traffic conditions, weather forecasts, road networks and security incidents to identify suitable routes for transporting electoral materials to polling units.
He said the technology could also provide early warnings of weather-related disruptions and help the commission identify potential logistical problems before election day.
Amupitan noted that such applications could improve planning and enable INEC to respond more effectively to challenges that might disrupt the electoral process.
However, he maintained that technological innovation must be introduced in ways that protect the integrity of elections and preserve public confidence in the commission.
INEC Explores AI to Detect Election Irregularities
On electoral integrity, the INEC chairman said biometric voter accreditation and electronic transmission of polling-unit results had helped address vulnerabilities associated with manual accreditation and arbitrary manipulation of results.
He explained that artificial intelligence could provide additional safeguards by helping the commission audit uploaded polling-unit result sheets.
According to him, AI systems could identify mathematical inconsistencies, unusual entry patterns and discrepancies in the quality of result-sheet images, potentially enabling officials to detect irregularities more quickly. However, Amupitan emphasised that human collation remains the statutory standard for declaring election results, while AI would serve as a supporting tool for identifying possible anomalies.
He said the commission would continue collaborating with civil society organisations, technology companies, regulatory bodies and security agencies to maximise the benefits of artificial intelligence while addressing the risks it poses to the electoral process. The INEC chairman maintained that all electoral stakeholders must ensure that technological advancements strengthen democratic institutions without compromising the right of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders in the 2027 general election.
