AMUPITAN: ALGORITHMS WILL NOT DECIDE 2027 ELECTION, NIGERIANS WILL

INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan has said artificial intelligence will not determine the outcome of Nigeria’s 2027 general election, insisting that the decision belongs to voters.

Speaking at the AI and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, Amupitan addressed concerns about the growing influence of algorithms on elections.

“Algorithms will not and must never decide the 2027 votes,” he said.

He stressed that technology must not replace the electorate’s right to choose who governs the country.

However, Amupitan identified practical ways AI could support election administration. He said geospatial analysis and predictive modelling could help INEC plan logistics and meet operational demands more effectively.

Such tools, he explained, could assist the commission’s preparations while leaving electoral choices entirely in the hands of Nigerians.

Amupitan said INEC had tested predictive logistics optimisation during elections conducted since he assumed office on October 23, 2025.

According to him, that period included five major elections and more than 16 by-elections.

His remarks drew a distinction between using technology to improve the organisation of elections and allowing automated systems to determine voters’ choices.