EDITED BY: EZINWANNE OKWUOLISA
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has called on electoral management bodies across West Africa to strengthen cybersecurity and ensure the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to protect electoral integrity and public confidence.
Professor Amupitan made the call in Abuja when he recieved a delegation of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), following the adoption of regional guidelines on the use of AI in electoral processes.
He said electoral institutions could no longer ignore the growing influence of AI but must develop safeguards to prevent its misuse and protect electoral systems from cyber threats.
He noted that although concerns about the dangers of AI were understandable, the technology was already integrated into everyday digital systems, making it necessary for electoral bodies to understand and manage its applications.
AI could improve electoral administration
Professor Amupitan identified voter registration and public information services as areas where AI could improve electoral administration.
According to him, AI-powered systems could help electoral commissions respond promptly to citizens’ enquiries by providing relevant information and answers to frequently asked questions.
He stressed that such applications must be supported by effective security measures, to protect young people and other vulnerable users from digital manipulation.
He noted that the guidelines came at a critical time as the country prepares for next year’s General Election.
Professor Amupitan said that INEC remained committed to working with ECONEC and other regional partners to improve electoral administration.
He identified electronic transmission of results, records management, logistics, risk assessment, personnel training and election planning as areas requiring greater cooperation among electoral commissions in the sub-region.
The INEC Chairman also advocated preventive regulations for political parties to improve compliance and reduce electoral disputes.
Use of AI in elections
Earlier, the leader of the ECONEC delegation, Mr Serigne Ka, said their mission was to finalise guidelines on the use of AI in elections.
Mr Ka, who is the Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division and Permanent Secretary of ECONEC, explained that the guidelines originated from a symposium on AI and election integrity held in Dakar, Senegal, in November last year.
He said participants at the symposium agreed to establish a working group to develop guidelines for electoral management bodies in West Africa.
According to him, the working group subsequently held several sessions and produced a draft document, which was validated at a two-day meeting in Abuja early this week.
Mr Ka said the guidelines had now been adopted, paving the way for member commissions to determine how best to apply them in their respective electoral processes.
The ECONEC official maintained that AI had become an enduring feature of modern society and that the priority should be to manage its application effectively rather than attempt to avoid it.
He called for support from the international community to facilitate the implementation of the guidelines across West Africa.
Mr Ka also conveyed the apologies of the newly elected ECONEC Chairman, Mr Abdoulaye Sylla, who is the Chairman of Senegal’s electoral commission and was unable to attend the meeting.
He expressed the hope that the adopted guidelines would strengthen electoral processes throughout the sub-region.
