The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, has declared that artificial intelligence (AI) will not determine the outcome of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, stressing that the people’s votes and decisions must remain the foundation of the country’s democracy.

Amupitan made this declaration at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, themed “Safeguarding the 2027 General Elections in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”

He emphasised that although AI could improve electoral administration, it must remain a tool for enhancing efficiency, transparency and accountability rather than replacing human judgment in the democratic process.

“Algorithms will not, and must never, decide the 2027 vote,” he said, adding that the decision on who leads the country belongs exclusively to Nigerians.

The INEC chairman acknowledged that AI would significantly influence the informa