2027: INEC URGES NIGERIANS TO PROTECT ELECTORAL INTEGRITY, WARNS OF DISINFORMATION THREAT

The Independent National Electoral Commission has called on Nigerians to protect electoral integrity and rebuild public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that misinformation and false narratives could undermine the credibility of the polls.

The INEC electoral integrity 2027 disinformation warning was delivered by the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Abia State, Sylvia Agu, in Umuahia on Wednesday at the 2026 Media Retreat and Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Abia State Council, ValidViewNetwork reports .

THE WARNING

Agu warned that the credibility of the 2027 polls would depend not only on activities at polling units but also on the information Nigerians received and believed.

“In this digital age, our good name as a nation, our electoral integrity, is what is constantly at risk of being affected by falsehood. The imperative of electoral integrity cannot be overemphasised,” she said.”

The 2027 elections will not be won or lost merely at the polling gates. It will be won or lost in the realm of perception, information and public trust”.

THE BVAS DEFENCE

Agu described the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System as an important safeguard against electoral malpractice, particularly fictitious accreditation and voting.

“The BVAS is for accreditation. It has gone a long way to salvage benefits. The drama that played out in 2023 was salvaged by the BVAS. It is a game changer. But for the BVAS, we don’t know who registered,” she said.

She said the commission was strengthening the use of technology in the electoral process, including the INEC Result Viewing Portal, to improve transparency and restore public confidence.

THE AI QUESTION

Agu said the commission was exploring the responsible use of artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency, planning, data analysis, and decision-making.

“AI is not intended to replace human judgement. Rather, it is intended to assist staff, improve operational effectiveness and support informed decision-making, while maintaining transparency, accountability, ethical governance and human oversight,” she said.

She disclosed that INEC had been testing its technological equipment and IT facilities ahead of the 2027 elections to minimise the risk of technical failures.

“In fact, in the past two months, we have been testing our power banks, all the systems we have, and our IT facilities. We have been testing the system because we don’t want to hear stories again. We learnt from the 2023 election of that glitch,” she said .

WHY IT MATTERS

INEC’s warning is a recognition that the battle for 2027 will not be fought only at polling units. It will be fought online, in the media, and in the minds of voters.

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Misinformation is a powerful weapon. A single fake video, a fabricated audio recording, or a false announcement of postponement can create confusion and undermine trust in the process.

INEC knows this, and it is preparing.But the commission cannot do it alone. It needs the media, civil society, and ordinary Nigerians to verify information before sharing it. The integrity of the 2027 election depends on it. ValidViewNetwork reports.