Nigerian Politics Update: Atiku Questions Voter Register, Tinubu Talks Borrowing

Opposition parties are raising concerns about Nigeria’s voters’ register after an official from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed that some registration officers added irregular entries, including photos generated by AI, to the database.

Atiku Abubakar is asking for the names of the officials involved and the contractors who handled election materials. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is also demanding to know why deceased individuals are still on the register. INEC said it is fixing these irregularities before the register is certified on 15 December.

Atiku Calls for Accountability

In a statement released on Friday by his campaign’s strategic communication director, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku insisted on identifying and prosecuting those responsible for the irregular voter registrations.

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) also pushed for an independent forensic audit. He wants the preservation of voter records, image files, access logs, and audit trails for review. He is asking for details about the companies that produced election materials and the measures in place to ensure their work is reliable. He warned that he would take legal action if INEC does not provide this information.

“INEC must not quietly ‘clean up’ the register and bury the evidence,” he stated.

Atiku’s statement mentioned that there could be over 20 million AI-generated images involved but did not provide proof for that claim. In a separate statement, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, also called for a forensic audit and an investigation into the electoral officials linked to the registration issues.

Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, asked INEC to share the number and location of flagged records. He urged for an independent audit that includes political parties and trustworthy civil society observers. He also requested that INEC publish the findings of its investigation and any corrective actions taken, while ensuring voters’ personal data is protected.

“Every eligible voter must also be protected against wrongful deletion during the cleanup,” he wrote. He also criticized INEC’s announcement of candidate approvals and rejections, saying it distracts from the main issue regarding the voter register.

NDC Questions Deceased Names on the Register

The NDC has raised a different issue. In a statement on Friday, campaign spokesperson Chiogo Constance Ikokwu questioned why deceased Nigerians are still on the voter register.

The party is asking for an audit of INEC’s processes and wants clear procedures for objections, including a chance for those wrongly reported dead to respond.

INEC Addresses Registration Irregularities

INEC’s Director of ICT, Lawrence Bayode, spoke to ARISE News on Friday. He said that some registration officers across the states had added irregular records because they had access to the registration system.

He explained that the commission knows how some of these irregularities happened but cannot clarify the motives of the officers involved. He said that the identified irregularities have been removed and promised that more corrections will be made before the final register is released on 15 December.

Mr Bayode made it clear that the suspicious photographs are different from INEC’s own use of AI for chatbots and logistics. He stated that the commission has not used AI for voter registration.

In an earlier clarification dated 27 October, INEC mentioned that the register published online on 26 October was a preliminary version. This version was displayed physically from 9 to 15 October and did not include all ongoing corrections.

Separately, Chairman Joash Amupitan told a mission from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Friday that the national register has surpassed 103 million voters. He added that nine of the 14 major statutory milestones in the election timetable have been completed.

The statements reviewed do not confirm a verified total of irregular records nationwide. The opposition’s demands go beyond just removing entries. They want to know who is responsible and allow for independent examination of the evidence.

INEC Reviews Nomination Petitions

INEC has also shared the results of its review of complaints about governorship and state assembly nominations. In a statement dated Thursday and released on Friday, the commission said 41 out of 69 governorship petitions were successful, along with 25 out of 61 state assembly petitions. In total, 66 petitions succeeded while 64 failed.

The commission approved some inclusions and removed names that did not match party membership registers or other nomination requirements. It said that the affected parties, candidates, and states will be included in updated lists.

Tinubu Defends Government Borrowing

The debate around government borrowing is now focused on what the government can show for its loans. In an essay reported by Arise News on Friday, Mr Tinubu said that investing in infrastructure will boost production, create jobs, and improve living standards. He highlighted major highways, electricity upgrades, and port modernization as key areas for investment.

The ADC campaign council challenged him to point out completed projects financed by these loans. Its media director, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the government of promoting projects without delivering proper benefits and called on lawmakers and lenders to demand accountability.

PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that the president requested about $20.52 billion and €1.045 billion under a new external borrowing plan. This request was sent to Senate committees for review.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole defended the borrowing for infrastructure on Friday but said the Senate committee needs to look at the request and project details before discussing it in the plenary.

PDP Stands by Onor as Candidate

The PDP’s Bayelsa chairman, George Turner, confirmed that Sandy Onor is still the party’s presidential candidate, even as he defended the party’s support for Mr Tinubu through the Rainbow Coalition.

Mr Turner explained that coalition parties can keep their candidates while supporting agreed candidates at various levels. For the presidential level, he noted that the coalition has chosen Mr Tinubu, and participating candidates are expected to rally support for him.

APC campaign council member Francis Okoye welcomed the support but warned against becoming complacent. He pointed out that the ADC and NDC are strong challengers.