MundX Actizens: Urge INEC Voters Register Probe Over Discrepancies

• MundX Analytics and Actizens Social Impact Foundation have called for a thorough scrutiny of INEC’s voters’ register and past election results ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
• MundX Analytics identified a polling unit with a 1,105% increase in registered voters between 2024 and 2026, and raised concerns about suspicious, potentially AI-generated, voter photographs.
• The organizations announced the 2027 Election Evidence Summit to discuss how citizens can preserve polling unit results for election tribunals.
• Actizens Social Impact Foundation introduced NGelectionPolls Election Monitor, a citizen-powered initiative to mobilize trained observers for documenting polling unit activities and preserving evidence.
• The groups emphasized that citizen-generated records must meet legal requirements to be admissible in election petitions, highlighting the critical role of evidence in resolving electoral disputes.

Lawyers advising on election petitions or electoral law in Nigeria should closely monitor these developments, as meticulous evidence preservation, scrutiny of voter data, and an understanding of potential AI-generated photographic evidence will be critical in future electoral disputes.

As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, two prominent organizations, MundX Analytics and Actizens Social Impact Foundation, have jointly urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian populace to meticulously examine reported inconsistencies within the national voters' register and previously announced election outcomes. This significant call was made during a pre-summit press conference held in Awka, Anambra State, where the groups also unveiled plans for the 2027 Election Evidence Summit, scheduled for November 30, 2026. The summit's theme, '2027 Elections: Can citizens preserve polling unit results as evidence for election tribunals?', underscores the critical need for robust electoral integrity.

During the conference, Martin Uwakwe, the Founder of MundX Analytics, presented findings that highlighted what his organization described as significant discrepancies in INEC's recently published preliminary voters' register. One notable instance involved a polling unit associated with Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo. MundX Analytics reported that this particular unit, which had 397 registered voters during the 2024 governorship election, astonishingly listed 4,783 voters in the 2026 preliminary register. This represents an increase of 4,386 voters, or approximately 1,105 percent, prompting Uwakwe to demand a documented explanation from INEC regarding the surge. Further concerns were raised regarding suspicious voter photographs, with some images alleged to have been generated using artificial intelligence, an issue INEC has acknowledged, though the precise origin and authenticity of these images remain under investigation. MundX Analytics strongly advised against speculation, urging instead for a thorough interrogation of available records by all relevant parties.

Beyond the preliminary 2026 register, MundX Analytics also delved into records from the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State. Utilizing graphical illustrations and comparative electoral data, Uwakwe's presentation pointed to what were described as contradictions between selected polling-unit records and the figures officially declared by INEC for the presidential election results. The organization advocated for an independent examination of the foundational records to ascertain the reasons behind these reported discrepancies. MundX Analytics issued a challenge to INEC, electoral stakeholders, journalists, and the Nigerian public to subject these findings to rigorous scrutiny, clarifying that their presentation did not constitute a judicial determination of electoral malpractice, and that the underlying records and interpretations are open to independent verification and response from INEC.

Chidi Kanu, the Executive Director of Actizens Social Impact Foundation, emphasized the crucial need for Nigeria to reinforce mechanisms for the preservation of authentic polling-unit results. Such preservation is vital for independent verification and the lawful resolution of electoral disputes. Kanu articulated that the credibility of any election extends beyond the acts of voting and counting, fundamentally relying on the integrity of records available when results face challenges. To address this, he introduced NGelectionPolls Election Monitor, an initiative by ASIF designed as a citizen-powered election observation platform. This program aims to mobilize trained, non-partisan Eyewitness Reporters across various polling units throughout the country.

The NGelectionPolls Election Monitor initiative is designed to foster lawful election observation, meticulous documentation of polling-unit activities, and the preservation of authentic result-sheet evidence. Kanu underscored that any citizen-generated records intended for use in election petitions must strictly adhere to applicable legal requirements to be admissible and reliable. He also reaffirmed the foundation's non-partisan stance and its unwavering commitment to independent election observation, highlighting the importance of unbiased data collection in strengthening democratic processes. The collective efforts by MundX Analytics and Actizens Social Impact Foundation, particularly their call for a comprehensive MundX Actizens INEC voters register probe, set a significant precedent for ensuring transparency and accountability in Nigeria's electoral system.

These reported discrepancies in the INEC voter register, coupled with concerns over potentially artificial intelligence voter photographs, are likely to form substantial grounds for challenging election results in the upcoming 2027 elections. The call for a thorough Nigeria 2027 election register audit and the emphasis on preserving polling unit results as evidence for election tribunals underscore a growing demand for electoral integrity. Lawyers advising on election petitions or electoral law in Nigeria should closely monitor these developments, as meticulous evidence preservation, scrutiny of voter data, and an understanding of potential AI-generated photographic evidence will be critical in future electoral disputes.

Lawyers advising on election petitions or electoral law in Nigeria should closely monitor the reported discrepancies in INEC's voters' register and the calls for independent verification. These issues are likely to form significant grounds for challenging election results in 2027, requiring meticulous evidence preservation, scrutiny of voter data, and understanding of potential AI-generated photographic evidence in electoral disputes.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH