SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Suspected AI Photos in INEC Voter Register

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to independently investigate suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and alleged alterations to personal data in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) preliminary Register of Voters.

In a letter dated October 31, 2026, signed by its Deputy Director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation asked Mr Tinubu to direct NDPC’s chief executive, Mr Vincent Olatunji, to investigate the reported irregularities and establish whether they constitute a breach of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

SERAP said the investigation should determine the extent of the irregularities, identify those responsible and establish whether Nigerians’ personal data were unlawfully accessed, altered or manipulated.

The organisation expressed concern that the reported incidents could undermine the integrity of the voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections, expose eligible voters to wrongful exclusion and weaken public confidence in the electoral process.

It also called for an independent forensic examination of INEC’s affected database and systems to establish how the questionable records were created or altered, the number of affected voters and the individuals or institutions responsible.

SERAP said the NDPC should determine whether INEC complied with Sections 24 and 39 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, which require personal data to be processed accurately and securely, and Section 40, which mandates data controllers to notify the commission of certain personal data breaches within 72 hours of becoming aware of them.

The organisation further urged the commission to establish whether the incidents constituted a personal data breach under Section 65 of the Act and whether INEC fulfilled its notification and record-keeping obligations.

The demand follows INEC’s acknowledgement of concerns over suspected AI-generated photographs in the preliminary voter register published on its website.

According to SERAP, the electoral commission, in a statement issued on October 27, disclosed that during the nationwide physical display of the register from October 9 to 15, several questionable registration records were identified and flagged for further examination.

INEC reportedly said it had commenced a review and was taking corrective measures while investigating the circumstances surrounding the suspicious photographs, including possible technical or procedural lapses.

The commission also clarified that the online publication did not reflect all ongoing data-cleanup activities, stressing that the preliminary register was not the final certified version.

INEC is expected to complete its verification, adjudication and data-cleanup processes before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.

However, SERAP maintained that the electoral commission’s internal review could not replace an independent investigation by the NDPC, insisting that the data protection regulator should exercise its statutory powers without delay.

The organisation also called for stronger security safeguards and accessible procedures through which affected voters could verify and correct their records without being wrongfully excluded from the electoral process.

It urged Mr Tinubu to ensure that the NDPC publishes its findings and recommendations, subject to lawful protections, and establishes accountability where wrongdoing is confirmed.

SERAP requested that the government and relevant authorities act within seven days of receiving or publishing its letter, warning that it would consider legal action and other lawful measures if its demands were not addressed.

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Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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