Preliminary voter register not final, says INEC

The Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said the preliminary register of voters published on its website is not the final certified register, assuring Nigerians that suspected AI-generated photographs and other irregularities identified in the document are being investigated.

The commission said it was reviewing questionable registration records and would take appropriate corrective action before certifying the final register on December 15, 2026.

The Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, stated this in a press release issued on Wednesday amid public concerns and social media reports alleging that AI-generated photographs appeared in the preliminary register.

“It is important to emphasise that the preliminary register is not the final certified register,” Haruna said.

He explained that the Display, Claims and Objections exercise was designed to allow members of the public to scrutinise the register, identify inaccuracies and irregularities, and facilitate corrections before its final certification.

Haruna clarified that the register published on INEC’s website on October 26 was the same preliminary register physically displayed at Registration Areas nationwide between October 9 and 15 as part of the exercise.

According to him, some questionable registration records had been identified and flagged for further examination during the physical display, prompting the commission to commence a review and corrective process in line with established procedures.

He noted that the online publication contained the original preliminary register and did not reflect all the data-cleanup activities ongoing within the commission.

The INEC commissioner further disclosed that the commission was investigating the circumstances surrounding the suspicious photographs, including possible technical or procedural lapses that might have contributed to their appearance in the register.

He said appropriate action would be taken based on verified findings, assuring Nigerians that identified irregularities would be addressed through established procedures.

Haruna also commended citizens and stakeholders who drew attention to the suspected anomalies, noting that public scrutiny was essential to improving the accuracy and integrity of the voters’ register.

He said the commission remained committed to completing the necessary verification, adjudication and data-cleanup processes ahead of the scheduled certification of the final register on December 15.

“The Commission remains committed to completing the necessary verification, adjudication, and data-cleanup processes ahead of the scheduled certification of the final Register of Voters on 15th December 2026,” the statement said.

The controversy followed the publication of the preliminary register online on October 26, which triggered concerns over photographs suspected to have been generated using artificial intelligence.

INEC said it would provide further updates as its review progressed.