The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why it is yet to take any action on the court judgment involving the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that it will not rely on reports circulating on social media without first obtaining and examining the actual judgment.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, said the Commission must formally receive the judgment, study its contents and obtain expert legal advice before determining the appropriate action, stressing that acting on unverified reports could lead to avoidable mistakes.

Amupitan spoke on Monday, November 9, 2026, while responding to questions at a press conference at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
“We don’t just act on the basis of what is on the social media,” he said.

Explaining the Commission’s procedure for handling court decisions, the chairman said judgments of such significance were first referred to his office before being forwarded to the relevant department for professional assessment and advice.

“Normally, when we receive judgment like that, it comes to the Commission, it comes first to the chairman who asks for the expertise advice from the relevant department before it’s taken to the Commission,” he said.

He stressed that INEC had yet to receive the ADC judgment and would therefore not act on information about its purported contents.
“In this case, we are yet to receive the judgment. So the judgment is to be received and studied. I know I’m also a lawyer,” he said, adding that he would personally examine the processes filed in the matter.

The INEC chairman recalled an earlier incident involving a purported Supreme Court judgment which went viral on social media but was subsequently disowned by the apex court. “The Supreme Court disowned itself from it, and even some people have been investigated,” he said.

His position underscores the Commission’s insistence that official decisions on the ADC leadership dispute must be based on an authenticated court document and proper legal interpretation rather than social media reports or public speculation.

On allegations of artificial intelligence-generated photographs infiltrating the voters’ register, Amupitan disclosed that INEC had traced some of the access points through which the images were introduced into its registration system.

He said the Commission had discovered that certain security access points were compromised, with some access credentials allegedly used to facilitate the irregularities.

“We have found the number that were used through AI to infiltrate. You see, it takes just one person to compromise the password,” he said.
He added that some access privileges had been granted by authorised personnel, creating opportunities for the misuse of the system.

In response, Amupitan said he had directed the Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to discontinue the use of web cameras for voter registration and replace them with an application-based camera system.

“We have just directed the director of ICT now that our IVFs, this web camera, should not be allowed again. Instead, we should have an app camera. It is what is on the app that will take picture,” he said.

According to him, the new arrangement would prevent registration personnel from importing photographs from external sources through web links or URLs, thereby strengthening the authenticity of images captured during registration.

“Don’t go and use any URL and begin to import pictures here and there. When things happen like that, you don’t want to fall into the same error,” he added.

The chairman said the Commission had also thoroughly investigated complaints received through its offices, online platforms and social media, clearing several allegations after due examination.

He maintained that the investigations were intended to ensure fairness and transparency and dispel suspicions of a hidden agenda in the handling of the complaints.

On the broader application of artificial intelligence in electoral administration, Amupitan disclosed that INEC had approved a comprehensive AI Governance Framework to regulate the responsible deployment of the technology in its operations.

He said although the Commission had an AI policy approved in 2025, before his appointment as chairman, the rapid evolution of the technology made it necessary to develop a more detailed framework.

“We decided as a Commission to have a comprehensive, well-laid out AI governance framework that will govern responsible deployment of AI,” he said.

Amupitan explained that the framework was developed in collaboration with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the British High Commission before being subjected to peer review.

He added that the Commission also considered the ECOWAS protocol on the subject before approving the document.

“Just today, the Commission also approved the AI governance framework that will improve on what we used to have,” he said, noting that the guidelines contained safeguards to ensure artificial intelligence was deployed for legitimate and appropriate purposes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed more than 1.6 million invalid records from the national register of voters following a clean-up of the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, while identifying 54 registration personnel in 10 states for alleged complicity in the irregularities.

The Commission also disclosed plans to tackle longstanding duplications in the voters’ register dating back to 2011, warning that cleaning up the latest registration exercise alone would not resolve the integrity challenges confronting the national register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the disclosures on Monday, November 9, 2026, at a press conference at the Commission’s headquarters on the display and publication of the Preliminary Register of Voters.

He said the 1,609,553 records removed comprised 1,608,660 confirmed invalid registrations and 873 records of verified deceased persons, which were treated as a separate category.

According to him, the Commission harvested 11,088,238 records from the three phases of the 2025/2026 CVR exercise, with its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) initially flagging 1,545,052 records for further examination.

Amupitan, however, cautioned that being flagged by the automated system did not automatically render a registration invalid, explaining that each case required proper review and adjudication.

“A flagged record is not necessarily an invalid registration: automated screening identifies matters requiring review, while authorised adjudication determines the outcome,” he said.

The INEC chairman disclosed that 1,277,052 registrations had been confirmed invalid and excluded before the publication of the Preliminary Register.

He said another 268,000 cases were subjected to adjudication following claims, objections and complaints received during the public display of the register. Of these, 217,722 were confirmed invalid and removed, while 50,278 were cleared as valid and retained. A further screening exercise uncovered 113,886 additional invalid registrations, bringing the post-display removals to 331,608.

“The Commission confirms that the current register-cleaning exercise for the 2025/2026 Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) has been concluded,” Amupitan said.

On the alleged involvement of registration personnel, he said a technical assessment examined suspected multiple registrations, unusual registration patterns, substituted photographs and irregularities in registration transactions.

The assessment, he said, revealed instances in which some personnel deliberately circumvented established procedures and abused provisions intended to accommodate exceptional registration circumstances, including persons with disabilities.

He said the affected records had been identified and subjected to review and remediation, while the personnel involved had been listed for further administrative investigation.

“Fifty-four persons cutting across ten States have been identified as complicit and necessary disciplinary action will be taken against them, including possible prosecution,” he stated.

To prevent a recurrence, the Commission is strengthening its registration controls through enhanced biometric capture, authentication and verification safeguards.
Amupitan explained that INEC waited for the expiration of the 14-day statutory period provided under Section 19(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, before making the latest announcement.

He said the Final Register of Voters would be published on December 15, 2026, adding that final reconciliation, quality assurance and publication checks were ongoing to ensure that all approved changes were properly reflected.

However, the chairman warned that the exercise had not addressed the wider problem of questionable entries in the national register, particularly duplications inherited from previous registration exercises between 2011 and 2023.

He said most of the duplicate names and photographs circulating on social media related to the old register rather than the recently concluded CVR exercise.

“Cleaning the register of only the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise alone will not solve the problem identified,” he said.

According to him, the national register had evolved through successive registration and voter registration update exercises since 2011, using different technologies, operational arrangements and quality standards.

He noted that significant historical integrity concerns remained and required a systematic nationwide response.

Consequently, the Commission, at its meeting on Monday, resolved to address the duplications in the older register, with cases already flagged through public complaints, as well as obvious cases identified internally, to be removed after proper verification.

INEC had announced a nationwide voter revalidation exercise in February 2026 but subsequently postponed it until after the 2027 general elections following concerns from stakeholders about its proximity to the polls and the potential impact on voter participation.

Amupitan, however, maintained that the postponement did not suspend the Commission’s responsibility to protect the integrity of the register, noting that existing mechanisms, including biometric screening, adjudication and statutory claims and objections, remained operational.

On complaints by some voters that their names were missing from the register, the chairman explained that most of the affected persons had registered between 2011 and 2023 but subsequently registered afresh instead of applying for a transfer to their new locations.

He said ABIS invalidated the subsequent registrations, while their original records remained at their previous registration locations.
He therefore advised affected voters to check their former polling locations to establish whether their names were still on the register.

On the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), Amupitan said distribution of cards from Phases One and Two, as well as transferred PVCs, was ongoing at local government area offices nationwide.

He disclosed that some cards produced under the third and final phase were being delivered and would be dispatched to states by the following week.

According to him, distribution would return to Registration Areas from December 1, 2026, while appealing to third-phase registrants to exercise patience because the cards were produced outside Nigeria.

The INEC chairman also assured Nigerians that the Commission had adequate safeguards against multiple voting on election day.

He explained that under the Standard Operating Procedures for Presiding Officers, supported by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), every voter must be physically present at the designated polling unit and undergo biometric authentication through fingerprint or facial recognition before being accredited.

“The Commission remains committed both to removing confirmed invalid entries and to protecting eligible Nigerians from wrongful exclusion,” he said.

He added that INEC would continue to publish verifiable aggregate information on the clean-up exercise while safeguarding personal data and the integrity of ongoing investigations.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on media organisations, journalists and social media analysts to strengthen their professional and ethical standards in election reporting ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that misinformation and inflammatory political narratives could undermine public confidence and threaten peaceful polls.

The commission made the call at a media engagement forum organised for the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Institute of Social Media Analysts (NISMA), Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and media executives in Enugu State.

The forum, held at Hotel Sylvia, had as its theme, “Ethical and Professional Standards in Election Reporting Ahead of the 2027 General Elections.”

Speaking at the event, the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Chukwuemeka J. Chukwu, who represented the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, described the media as a critical partner in ensuring credible elections and sustaining public confidence in the democratic process.

He said the media played a strategic role in the electoral process by serving as a link between the commission and the electorate through information dissemination, voter education, public enlightenment and accountability.

Chukwu urged journalists to exercise caution in their reportage, particularly on election results, incidents at polling units, electoral materials and technological processes, warning against publishing unverified information or presenting speculation as established facts.

He stressed that inaccurate reports and the spread of disinformation could erode public trust in the electoral process and create tensions capable of threatening peaceful elections.

The REC also urged media organisations to intensify voter education, particularly on the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), voter accreditation, voting procedures, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), electronic transmission of results and the need for peaceful participation.

He further called for inclusive election coverage, urging journalists to ensure that women, young people and persons with disabilities received adequate representation in electoral discussions and reportage.

In his opening remarks, Haruna, represented by the REC, underscored the media’s influence in shaping public understanding of the electoral process.
He noted that public confidence in elections depended largely on the accuracy, credibility and reliability of information available to citizens.

The commission’s engagement with media stakeholders is part of efforts to promote responsible election reporting, counter the spread of fake news and strengthen public confidence as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has demanded full disclosure of the funding, implementation and administration of the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), warning that it could institute legal action if the authorities fail to provide the requested information.

SERAP specifically urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, to disclose details of the programme’s funding, beneficiary selection and payment arrangements, including contracts with digital financial service providers and safeguards against political interference ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a Freedom of Information request dated November 7, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation gave the minister seven days to provide the information and implement measures to ensure transparency and accountability in the programme.

The demand follows the ministry’s October 30 announcement of NERSI, which is designed to provide ₦50,000 financial assistance to vulnerable Nigerians.

However, SERAP said critical details about the intervention remained unclear, including its total funding, geographical coverage, number of beneficiaries, duration and criteria for selecting recipients from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.

The organisation also expressed concern over conflicting information about the frequency of payments, noting that while the ministry’s public statement described the assistance as a monthly payment, its subsequent frequently asked questions (FAQ) document did not clearly establish how often beneficiaries would receive the money or how long the intervention would last.

SERAP urged the ministry to publish details of budgetary allocations, funds released and expenditure, eligibility requirements, verification procedures and the geographical distribution of beneficiaries. It also demanded an anonymised breakdown of beneficiaries and payments by state and local government area, including ward-level figures where available.

The organisation further called on the minister to invite the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to independently monitor the programme, investigate allegations of corruption and ensure that public funds reach their intended recipients.

“Nigerians have a right to know how public funds allocated to NERSI are being spent, who is receiving the assistance, how beneficiaries are selected and whether the programme is reaching those most in need,” SERAP said.

It warned against the use of the intervention to reward political supporters, secure partisan loyalty or influence the electoral choices of vulnerable Nigerians.

According to the organisation, beneficiaries must not be required or encouraged to attend political rallies, support political parties or candidates, display political materials or demonstrate political allegiance as a condition for receiving the assistance.

SERAP stressed that NERSI was a government programme funded with public resources and should not be presented as a personal gift or political benefit from any public office-holder or political party.

“Publicly funded social assistance must be allocated strictly on the basis of genuine need and objective eligibility criteria,” it said.

The organisation also raised concerns over reports that some Nigerians who received notifications of the ₦50,000 assistance had been unable to access or withdraw the funds, while others were reportedly informed that they were ineligible.

It said the complaints raised questions about the accuracy of beneficiary verification, the reliability of payment arrangements and the effectiveness of mechanisms for resolving failed transactions and disputed eligibility.

SERAP called on the ministry to investigate the complaints, publish its findings and ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive the assistance.

It also demanded disclosure of agreements with the digital financial service providers engaged to administer the payments, including ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.

The ministry was asked to explain the respective roles of the companies, the fees payable to them, their performance obligations and the procedures for independently verifying payments.

On data protection, SERAP said the use of the National Social Register and national identity records to identify beneficiaries must be governed by clear rules and adequate safeguards.

It urged the government to explain how the databases were being accessed and used, protect beneficiaries’ personal information and make anonymised and aggregated data available for public scrutiny.

The organisation said the information gaps surrounding NERSI made it difficult for Nigerians to determine whether the intervention was being implemented fairly, whether public funds were properly accounted for and whether assistance was reaching those most in need.

It cited concerns raised by the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2024 Annual Report over more than ₦78.8 billion allegedly diverted or unaccounted for in the administration of social intervention and cash transfer programmes.
SERAP particularly referred to an alleged ₦33.751 billion in cash transfers made in 2023 for which relevant REMITA records and other supporting documents were reportedly not made available for audit.

It said the findings reinforced the need for strong financial controls, proper record-keeping, independent verification and effective oversight from the outset of NERSI.

The organisation acknowledged the importance of providing financial assistance to Nigerians facing poverty and economic hardship but insisted that programmes involving public funds and the personal information of vulnerable households must operate under transparent and publicly accessible rules.

It also cited Sections 13, 15(5), 16(2)(b) and 17(3)(d) of the Nigerian Constitution, which address the responsibilities of government in combating corruption, ensuring the equitable distribution of public resources and promoting citizens’ welfare.

SERAP further noted that Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption required integrity, accountability and transparency in the management of public affairs and public funds.

The organisation warned that failure to provide the requested information and take appropriate measures within seven days of receiving or publishing the letter would compel it to consider legal action against the ministry and other relevant authorities.

It said such action would seek to enforce their constitutional and statutory obligations and ensure the transparent, accountable and impartial implementation of NERSI in the public interest.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has promised President Bola Tinubu three million votes in the 2027 general elections, declaring the state’s support for his re-election bid.

Fubara gave the assurance on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Port Harcourt, where he said Rivers had made its political choice and would not turn back.
“Rivers will give you three million votes. We will stand by you. We will work for you. We will deliver for you,” the governor declared.

He also announced an end to political divisions in the state, saying leaders had put their differences aside and were now united behind a common political position in support of Tinubu.

According to him, the President had demonstrated commitment to Rivers State, adding that the people were prepared to reciprocate through their votes in the next general elections.

“We are not just talking. We will show it with our votes. Rivers people know how to keep their word,” he said.

Fubara urged APC supporters and political stakeholders to return to their respective wards and polling units to commence grassroots mobilisation, stressing that delivering the promised three million votes would require collective commitment and active participation.

The governor, however, clarified that despite his membership of the APC, Rivers State was operating a Rainbow Coalition involving political stakeholders from different parties.

“Let me also place it on record that, although I am an APC member, Rivers State operates under a Rainbow Coalition. Under this coalition, we have a shared slate that spans across the APC and the PDP. We assure you that our combined slate will be delivered come January 2027,” he said.

Fubara’s declaration comes amid intensified political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Tinubu’s supporters seeking to consolidate the President’s support base in Rivers State and the wider South-South region.