The Executive Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Mr. Clement Nwankwo, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the need to apply caution in the deployment of Artificial Intelligence into Nigeria’s electoral process without clear, transparent, and verifiable procedures.
Nwankwo also disagreed with INEC’s assertion that the electorate should not publish election results.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the eighth annual public lecture of the Just Friends Club of Nigeria (JFCN), themed “From Concern to Action: Making Our Votes Count in the 2027 General Elections,” Nwankwo emphasized that the legal framework and operational details must be made transparent to voters and stakeholders before any new technology is deployed.
He maintained that the electoral process must remain firmly anchored in procedures prescribed by law, cautioning against technological innovations that citizens and political parties can neither understand nor independently verify.
“INEC needs to be careful that its so-called use of AI in elections does not result in the use of technology to circumvent the vote of the people,” Nwankwo said.
He argued that the commission must explain precisely how AI will interact with existing procedures for voting, counting, and collating results. While acknowledging that AI could help political parties independently verify results announced by INEC, he reiterated that systems lacking public transparency have no place in Nigerian elections.
“For the collation of results, the use of AI by parties to cross-check what INEC is doing will be very important. “But INEC should not introduce a system that people do not understand and cannot verify.”
Nwankwo also rejected INEC’s stance prohibiting citizens from publishing election results, asserting that once results are officially announced at polling units in accordance with the Electoral Act, electors commit no offense by sharing them.
Addressing wider concerns over public trust, Nwankwo urged INEC and security agencies to demonstrate strict adherence to lawful and transparent standards.
“Citizens have to trust the electoral process and the election management body. In turn, the election management body must, at every stage, convince Nigerians that it is doing the right job,” he added.
He called on political parties to engage in issue-based campaigns rather than mutual recriminations, while encouraging citizens—particularly those dissatisfied with governance—to overcome voter apathy and actively participate in the democratic process.
The chairman of the event, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Country Director of CARE Nigeria, underscored the vital need to safeguard democratic institutions. He cautioned younger Nigerians against taking democracy for granted, noting that many did not experience the struggles under military rule that paved the way for civilian governance.
“Democracy is a precious legacy that must be preserved and passed on to future generations,” Abdu noted, emphasizing that institutions like INEC and security agencies must remain—and be seen to remain—impartial and accountable.
Similarly, the President of the JFCN, Mr. Amaechi C. Aloke, noted that the lecture’s theme was chosen to inspire citizens to convert their daily grievances into actionable civic engagement.
“Concern, by itself, does not change a country,” Aloke remarked. “It must become knowledge; knowledge must become participation, and participation must become responsible citizenship that extends beyond Election Day.”
The lecture also highlighted the growing erosion of the middle class and its reliance on private alternatives—such as solar power, private security, and private healthcare—to offset failing public infrastructure. Speakers warned that while such measures offer personal relief, they weaken collective civic action and diminish pressure on public institutions to deliver quality services.
Established in 2013, the JFCN launched its public lecture series in 2014 to tackle critical national issues. Beyond advocacy, the organization carries out philanthropic initiatives in the Federal Capital Territory, including support for homes for the elderly, orphanages, and educational sponsorships for underprivileged students.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the consensus among speakers was clear: protecting democracy demands trusted electoral bodies, lawful procedures, robust voter participation, and public accountability at every level.
