Osun Election: INEC Blasts Viral “AI Videos,” Dismisses Ghost And Hired Voter Claims

The commission’s warning followed the circulation of videos and claims on social media questioning the credibility of the electoral process.

Speaking on ARISE NEWS on Monday, INEC Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Dayo Oketola, said only duly registered voters who were accredited at their designated polling units were allowed to cast ballots.

Oketola explained that the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) made it impossible for unregistered or ghost voters to participate in the election.

He therefore urged Nigerians to be cautious about accepting videos and other materials circulating online without verifying their authenticity.

“We are in an age of AI, misinformation, and disinformation. Not everything you see is true. With BVAS in play for any election in Nigeria, there is no room for ghost voters or hired voters,” he said.

He added that voters must be registered and successfully accredited before they could participate in an election at a particular polling unit.

“You cannot vote in an election unless you have been registered and accredited for that specific polling unit. Be careful what you believe, particularly in an election driven by information management and mismanagement,” Oketola cautioned.

The INEC spokesman also disclosed that the Osun governorship election recorded a 50.116 per cent voter turnout, which he described as one of the highest figures recorded in recent off-cycle elections.

“According to our records, we had a 50.116% voter turnout in that election. It is better than other off-cycle elections that have been conducted,” Oketola stated.

According to him, the turnout reflected a stronger willingness among voters to participate in the democratic process and suggested improvements in electoral preparedness.

Oketola further said the successful conclusion of the election demonstrated a level of democratic maturity despite the tension and fear surrounding the campaign period.

He noted that although the election was preceded by what he described as fearmongering and a tense campaign, the exercise was eventually completed and a winner declared.

“Despite the fearmongering and the tension-soaked campaign in the run-up to the election, the Osun election has come and gone, and a winner has been declared. For me, this marks a consistent level of maturity for Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.