The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has partnered with Google and Microsoft to protect Nigeria’s 2027 elections from cyber attacks. The commission plans to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced cybersecurity systems to secure its electoral database.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi’s media office has warned Nigerians against selling their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has also vowed to collate and share election results with the public.
INEC Targets Cyber Attacks, Warns Electoral Officials
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the measures at the 10th Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Lagos.
Speaking on the theme, ‘2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities’, Amupitan highlighted the commission’s technological and structural reforms.
He explained that AI tools and advanced cybersecurity systems would protect INEC’s database against cyber intrusions, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks and unauthorised data changes.
Furthermore, the commission warned electoral officials against partisanship, negligence and unethical conduct. Amupitan cited Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires officials to swear an oath of neutrality.
He stressed that officials who compromise the electoral process would face dismissal and prosecution.
“As I told our field officers during our North-West assessment in Kaduna: To the voter in a local ward, INEC is not the Chairman in Abuja; INEC is you,” he said.
Peter Obi’s Camp Warns Nigerians Against Selling PVCs
The Peter Obi Media Office has urged Nigerians to protect their voting rights despite the country’s economic challenges.
In a statement, its spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr., alleged that some politicians were offering money for PVCs. He also claimed that some state governors demanded PVCs from citizens, including civil servants, before paying salaries and allowances.
However, these allegations could not be independently verified.
The office urged Nigerians to reject cash and other incentives intended to influence their votes. It also encouraged voters to secure their PVCs and report suspected electoral manipulation.
“Your PVC is not for sale. Your vote is not for sale. Your future is not for sale,” the statement declared.
The office also urged Nigerians to vote according to their conscience and protect their ballots through lawful means.
ADC Vows to Share 2027 Election Results
The African Democratic Congress has insisted that political parties and citizens can independently collate and share election results.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party defended its right to collect and publish election information.
The ADC made the statement in response to INEC’s warning against sharing privately collated results.
“We are aware of our rights to freedom of expression under the Constitution. We are also aware of the limitations associated with those rights,” the party stated.
The party added that its agents would document polling unit results, while its structures would collate and share verified figures.
However, the ADC acknowledged INEC’s legal responsibility to declare official results and announce election winners.
The debate highlights growing concerns about electoral transparency, voter protection and public trust ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
