Former Kogi West Senator and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Dino Melaye, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allegedly laying the groundwork for electoral manipulation in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Melaye made the allegation during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he questioned the credibility of the electoral commission’s preparations for the forthcoming polls.
The former lawmaker expressed concern over alleged irregularities in INEC’s voter registration records, including the reported duplication of photographs and the inclusion of artificial intelligence-generated images.
According to Melaye, the commission’s voter register reportedly failed an integrity test, with an alleged 89 per cent indication of AI-related image manipulation.
He also accused INEC of violating provisions of the Electoral Act, claiming that the commission had failed to publish the voters’ lists within the stipulated 90-day period.
Melaye further raised concerns over a significant increase in the number of registered voters at a polling unit associated with the Edo State governor.
He claimed that the polling unit, which reportedly had more than 400 registered voters during the election that brought the governor to office, now has over 4,000 names in the latest register.
The ADC chieftain questioned how such a substantial increase could occur without adequate explanation from the electoral body.
He argued that the alleged discrepancies had raised serious questions about INEC’s commitment to conducting a credible, transparent and impartial election in 2027.
Melaye’s allegations come amid growing public scrutiny of the commission following concerns over AI-generated photographs and other irregularities reportedly identified in its preliminary voter register.
The controversy has heightened calls for INEC to address concerns about the accuracy of its records, strengthen its verification procedures and reassure Nigerians that the electoral process will be protected from manipulation.
However, Melaye’s claims remain allegations and do not, on their own, establish that INEC is working to rig the forthcoming elections for the APC.
As political activities gather momentum ahead of 2027, the credibility of the voter register and the independence of the electoral commission are expected to remain central issues in Nigeria’s political debate.
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