2027 polls: Arewa Think Tank backs INEC chair, warns against derailing elections

The Arewa Think Tank has backed the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, urging political actors to support measures aimed at strengthening the credibility of the 2027 general elections.

The group said INEC’s plan to audit its electoral technology infrastructure, conduct penetration testing and consider a mock presidential election demonstrated proactive preparation that should be encouraged rather than politicised.

Convener of the Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said Nigerians genuinely interested in the survival of democracy should support efforts to identify and address weaknesses in the electoral system before the 2027 polls.

Yakubu was reacting to concerns raised by the INEC chairman over the growing threat of artificial intelligence-generated disinformation, vulnerabilities in electoral technology and the need to build public confidence ahead of the elections.

He said the proposed technology audit, disaster-recovery measures and possible mock presidential election showed that the commission was taking lessons from previous elections seriously.

“Those who are not prepared for the election should not derail the election. They should allow those who are prepared for the election to participate in the elections,” Yakubu said.

He cautioned opposition politicians and other political actors against statements or actions capable of weakening public confidence in INEC, stressing that while criticism of the commission was legitimate, attempts to discredit electoral institutions without constructive alternatives could undermine democracy.

Yakubu also expressed concern over the increasing use of AI to create fake audio, videos and images, warning that the technology could be exploited to mislead voters and inflame political tensions.

He urged INEC, political parties, the media, technology platforms and fact-checkers to develop effective mechanisms for detecting and countering fabricated content, particularly as the election approaches.

The convener further called on INEC to communicate openly about its technological systems, including vulnerabilities identified during testing and measures being taken to address them, saying transparency would help build public confidence.

He urged political parties to begin preparations early, educate their supporters on the electoral process and present their programmes to Nigerians instead of waiting until the eve of the election to raise concerns.

“The election is not something anybody should try to stop simply because they are not ready. If there are concerns, let those concerns be presented through the appropriate channels. But nobody should hold Nigeria’s democracy hostage because of personal or partisan interests,” he said.

Yakubu said the lessons of the 2023 general elections should be used to strengthen the 2027 process, rather than becoming a source of continued political recrimination.

He called for sustained consultations among INEC, political parties, civil society organisations, the media and technology experts, while urging Nigerians to verify political information before sharing it.

“Let everybody prepare and participate. Let the people decide. What Nigeria needs is a credible election, not politicians trying to create confusion because they are afraid of the process,” Yakubu said.