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2027 elections
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INEC chairman says AI is not an enemy of democracy, but warns of deepfakes

A glass ballot box
Stock image: National Museum of American History / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, says artificial intelligence (AI) is not an enemy of democracy, even though its misuse could create serious problems for elections.

What he said

Speaking at the Beyond the Ballot Summit in Abuja on Monday, 2 November 2026, Amupitan reportedly said election bodies around the world use machine-assisted processes to find duplicate records in large voter registers, plan logistics, analyse data and work more efficiently. However, he warned that generative AI has put powerful tools in the hands of people who want to disrupt elections or mislead voters, and that abilities which once needed a lot of money and technical skill can now be obtained very cheaply. He gave examples such as cloning the voices of public figures and creating realistic fake recordings of election officials making false announcements.

Background

His comments come days after INEC's ICT director admitted that some registration officers had entered AI-generated and poor-quality photos into the preliminary voter register, which was published online on 26 October. INEC says it detected the problem with its biometric identification system and is cleaning up the register before it is certified on 15 December. Opposition parties and civil society groups have called for a full audit, and ADC candidate Atiku Abubakar has demanded a forensic review. Amupitan had earlier announced that INEC would use AI in parts of the electoral system ahead of the 2027 elections.

Why it matters

Fake videos and audio have already been shared during the campaign, and several politicians have accused rivals of using deepfakes. Observers say voters will need to be careful about what they share as the January 2027 elections approach.

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Collage of the NDC logo, Peter Obi, Ozonna Soludo in a red cap and Governor Chukwuma Soludo
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Politics will shock you: Soludo's son seen promoting NDC song while his father backs Tinubu

A Facebook video reportedly showing Ozonna Soludo, son of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, dancing to and promoting a song associated with the NDC has sparked reactions online. The NDC is linked in online discussions to Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, while Governor Soludo has reportedly been mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu.

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Nigerian politics has taken another interesting turn, and this time the attention is on the family of Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo.

The video

A Facebook video reportedly showing Ozonna Soludo, the governor's son, dancing to and promoting a song associated with the NDC has sparked reactions online. In online discussions, the NDC has been linked to Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Father and son in different camps?

What makes the situation interesting is the apparent political contrast between father and son.

While Ozonna appears to be enjoying a song associated with a different political camp, his father, Governor Soludo, has reportedly been mobilising political stakeholders in Anambra State in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

A dance is not a declaration

Dancing to a political song does not automatically mean someone has joined or endorsed a party. Ozonna has not made any confirmed political declaration through the video.

Even so, the moment has attracted attention because of his father's position. It is also a reminder that family ties do not necessarily decide political loyalty. A father may support one candidate while his son prefers another.

The big question

If Governor Soludo is backing Tinubu while his son appears to be promoting a song associated with Obi and Kwankwaso, what does that say about the changing political atmosphere ahead of 2027?

Politics in Nigeria never stops surprising us.

2027 electionsReported
Peter Obi
Photo: VOA / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Former Labour Party chairman Abure rules out backing Obi, open to Tinubu or Atiku

Julius Abure, the former national chairman of the Labour Party, has reportedly said he will not support Peter Obi in 2027 but could back either President Tinubu or Atiku Abubakar. Obi's camp says it has moved on.

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Julius Abure, who led the Labour Party when Peter Obi was its presidential candidate in 2023, has said he will not support Obi in the 2027 election.

What he said

In a newspaper interview reported on Monday, 2 November 2026, Abure reportedly said he was open to working with any of the major candidates but was very sure he would not back Obi, who is now the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate. He said he could support either President Bola Tinubu or Atiku Abubakar of the ADC, depending on the outcome of a pending Supreme Court case on the Labour Party's leadership, whether a candidate's agenda matches his views, and how acceptable the candidate is to voters. He said that if the court has not ruled by the end of November, he will consult his supporters.

His criticism of Obi

Abure argued that Obi had squandered the goodwill and structures that helped him win more than six million votes in 2023, and predicted he would do worse in 2027. He also questioned Obi's leadership, accusing him and Abia Governor Alex Otti of undermining the party.

The other side

Obi's allies have previously accused Abure of breaking an agreement to hold an inclusive party convention. The NDC and Obi's camp dismissed his latest comments, saying they have moved on and are focused on the election.

Background

The Labour Party has been split by a long leadership dispute since the 2023 election, which eventually led Obi to leave and join the NDC.

2027 electionsReported
A glass ballot box
Stock image: National Museum of American History / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Seun Okinbaloye says his 2027 rigging warning named no party or candidate

Channels TV anchor Seun Okinbaloye has clarified his widely shared warning about rigging in the 2027 elections, saying it did not accuse any party, candidate or sponsor. Reactions remain divided, with some praising his courage and others accusing him of backtracking.

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Popular Channels Television anchor Seun Okinbaloye has responded to the storm over his recent comments on election rigging ahead of 2027.

What he said

Speaking on the channel on Sunday, 1 November 2026, Okinbaloye said his earlier remarks had been widely misread. He said his warning had named no political party, accused no candidate and identified no sponsor. Critics had interpreted his original comments as a claim that rigging of the 2027 elections had already begun.

Background

Okinbaloye's original warning went viral last week, coming amid wider concerns about the integrity of the voter register after INEC admitted that some of its registration officers had entered AI-generated photos. Opposition candidates, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, have called for audits and promised to prosecute anyone involved in rigging. INEC says the register is still being cleaned up and will be certified in December.

How people reacted

Opinion was divided. Some viewers praised the anchor for speaking out and for clarifying his position, saying he was simply doing his job as a journalist. Others accused him of damage control and asked why he had not named those he believed were planning to rig. Several users said INEC itself should identify and prosecute staff involved in irregularities in the register.

Why it matters

Okinbaloye presents one of Nigeria's most-watched political programmes, and his comments carry weight with voters and politicians alike. The debate shows how sensitive questions about election credibility have become as campaigning intensifies.

2027 electionsReported
A glass ballot box
Stock image: National Museum of American History / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Yahaya Bello vows to spend two weeks in Kano campaigning for Tinubu

Former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello has reportedly pledged to move to Kano for two weeks to campaign for President Tinubu and Governor Abba Yusuf. He urged non-indigenous communities in the state to deliver more votes than in 2023.

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Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has promised to personally campaign in Kano for President Bola Tinubu's re-election.

What he said

Speaking at a political mobilisation and empowerment programme for Yoruba and other non-indigenous communities in Kano, organised by the foundation of Rep. Leke Abejide and reported on Sunday, 1 November 2026, Bello said he would move to Kano for two weeks to campaign for the President and for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. He urged non-indigenous communities in the state to beat the nearly 500,000 votes they reportedly gave Tinubu in 2023, and said Abejide's network could deliver at least two million votes. He also pointed to work on the Kano–Abuja highway as evidence of the President's commitment to the North.

Support for communities

Abejide, who represents Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State and holds a Yoruba community title in Kano, announced ₦500 million in interest-free loans for women's cooperatives, along with support for widows. He said programmes for young people and men are being planned.

Background

Kano has the second-highest number of registered voters in Nigeria after Lagos, and the APC is investing heavily there after Governor Yusuf moved from the NNPP to the APC. The state is also the home of Rabiu Kwankwaso, Peter Obi's running mate on the NDC ticket. Bello, who governed Kogi from 2016 to 2024, is facing a money-laundering case brought by the EFCC, which he denies. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin also predicted a Tinubu victory at an APC event in Kano on Sunday.

What happens next

The campaign in Kano is expected to intensify as the APC and NDC compete for the state's large vote.