Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has issued a warning to President Bola Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging them to steer clear of any action capable of compromising the 2027 general elections.
Frank insisted that Nigerians would reject any declared result that contradicts the decisions made by voters at the ballot box. He cautioned that attempts to distort the electoral outcome could provoke widespread unrest and heighten political tensions nationwide.
His warning followed concerns surrounding questionable information reportedly discovered in INEC’s provisional voters’ database, including names and images allegedly produced through artificial intelligence (AI).
Reacting to the development, the former ruling party spokesperson demanded that the electoral umpire conduct a thorough examination of the affected records before giving approval to the final register.
In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, Frank accused INEC of exposing the country’s electoral system to possible abuse, calling on the commission to account for the appearance of the disputed entries.
He demanded details of how the questionable information was submitted, alongside an explanation of the procedures being adopted to determine whether the records were genuine.
Frank described the alleged presence of AI-created voter details as a disturbing development that could point to efforts to influence the forthcoming polls.
He warned that any attempt by the Federal Government or INEC to interfere with the 2027 election results could produce consequences far beyond the political disturbances experienced in some European nations.
The former APC official further declared that Nigerians would not accept a situation where their electoral choices were disregarded in favour of predetermined results.
He also challenged the argument that opposition politicians should resolve disagreements over election outcomes through court proceedings.
Frank maintained that the availability of legal remedies should not give electoral authorities the freedom to conduct polls without proper accountability and safeguards.
He equally raised concerns about citizens’ perception of the judiciary, arguing that doubts surrounding its independence could weaken public confidence in the handling of election-related disputes.
He therefore urged INEC to eliminate possible loopholes in the electoral process instead of allowing irregularities to generate prolonged legal confrontations after voting.
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the preliminary voters’ register has attracted attention following INEC’s confirmation that it was examining suspected irregularities.
Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of the commission’s Information and Voter Education Committee, disclosed that officials had begun reviewing the affected records to identify and rectify the reported anomalies.
INEC clarified that the register uploaded to its website on October 26 was identical to the provisional document earlier made available for public inspection at registration centres between October 9 and 15.
The commission stressed that the published document had not received final certification, explaining that the exercise was intended to allow eligible voters to identify missing information, challenge questionable registrations and request amendments.
It also confirmed that investigations were being conducted to establish the circumstances surrounding the appearance of the suspected AI-generated images, including possible breaches of established procedures.
The electoral commission has fixed December 15, 2026, for the certification of the final voters’ register after completing the necessary checks and corrections.
Despite these explanations, Frank maintained that INEC must provide verifiable answers about the disputed entries and demonstrate that its operations are being conducted in accordance with the law.
He also questioned whether the commission had fulfilled its responsibilities under Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provides guidelines for public access to voters’ registers and the submission of objections.
Furthermore, he appealed to international stakeholders, including the United States, Britain and the European Union, to pay attention to Nigeria’s electoral preparations and encourage transparency ahead of the 2027 polls.
Frank specifically urged the American government to draw from its diplomatic involvement during Nigeria’s 2015 elections, calling for similar engagement to promote a credible voting process.
He warned that overlooking allegations of electoral manipulation could further deepen political divisions and erode Nigerians’ trust in democratic institutions.
