BY JULIET EKWENUGO, Abuja
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has warned President Bola Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against manipulating the 2027 general election, insisting that Nigerians will not accept results that do not reflect their votes.
Frank, in a statement in Abuja, expressed concern over allegations of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated names and photographs in the national voter register, calling for an urgent investigation into the claims.
He urged INEC to verify questionable entries and transparently explain how the register was compiled.
“The discovery of INEC using AI-generated voters’ register is a clear indication of a rigging plot,” he said.
Frank warned that any attempt to manipulate the election could threaten national stability, urging the president and the electoral commission to ensure a credible process.
“President Tinubu and INEC should understand that any attempt to rig the 2027 election will have serious consequences. What is happening in France and other European countries would be child’s play compared with what could happen in Nigeria,” he said.
He also dismissed the possibility of aggrieved opposition candidates relying solely on the courts to challenge disputed election results.
“They believe they can rig the election and then tell the opposition to go to court. That will not happen in 2027,” he said.
Frank expressed concern over public confidence in the judiciary, alleging that many Nigerians perceived it as being under external control.
He urged the authorities to prevent electoral malpractice rather than leave disputes to be resolved through litigation after the polls.
The former APC spokesman further alleged that INEC had failed to comply with the requirement to publish the voter register at least 90 days before the general election, citing Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, as amended.
He called on the commission to clarify its compliance with the law and take necessary steps to ensure the credibility of the register.
Frank also urged the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and other international partners to engage the Nigerian government and INEC ahead of the election to promote a free, fair and credible process.
He specifically called on the United States to draw on its diplomatic engagement with Nigeria during the 2015 general election to encourage credible polls in 2027.
“This is the time we expect the American government to do what they did in 2015 to ensure Nigeria conducts free and fair elections in 2027,” he said.
Frank urged international partners to take the allegations seriously, engage relevant Nigerian authorities and encourage transparency in voter registration and election preparations.
He stressed that INEC must demonstrate its independence, address concerns about the voter register and ensure that every eligible Nigerian’s vote counts.
Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, warned that undermining the electorate’s mandate could deepen political tensions and erode confidence in the country’s democratic institutions.
He called on Tinubu and INEC to ensure that the 2027 general election is conducted transparently and that the outcome reflects the genuine will of Nigerians.
