Stakeholders have urged Nigerians to verify information from credible sources ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) could worsen misinformation and undermine democratic participation if left unchecked.

The stakeholders also called on citizens to reject vote-buying, shun electoral violence, obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and actively participate in the electoral process to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

The call was made at the Joint Civil Society Convening and Intergenerational Dialogue on Civic Space and Democratic Participation organised by Hope Behind Bars Africa and Accountability Lab ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking at the event, Director of the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF), Elisabeth Agbiti-Douglas, urged Nigerians to pay close attention to information circulating online as political activities ahead of the elections intensify.

According to her, advancements in AI technology have made it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and manipulated content.

“We are in a time and age now where, unfortunately, everything you see is not necessarily the truth. In the age of AI, even before we had AI, we had issues around misinformation where the information around was far from reality,” she said.

Agbiti-Douglas warned that videos, images and audio recordings could be manipulated to appear genuine, making it imperative for citizens to independently verify claims before accepting or sharing them.

“Everybody needs to be very careful. Always double-check. Anything that you cannot find corroborated in an official source is something that you should probably question,” she added.

She also encouraged Nigerians to critically assess political candidates and make informed decisions at the ballot box.

She also appealed to Nigerians to reject electoral violence and report attempts to manipulate the electoral process.

Speaking, Programme Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, Nurudeen Hassan, said the convening was designed to stimulate conversations among citizens, civil society organisations, government institutions and the media on issues likely to shape the 2027 elections.

According to him, the election would be one of the most important in Nigeria’s democratic journey due to prevailing political and socio-economic realities.

“We need to sort out the conversation within ourselves, within society, in the media and among ordinary citizens. We cannot leave the future of the election to government alone,” he said.

In his keynote address, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, represented by the Director of Civil and Political Rights Department, Halilu Adamu, said citizen participation in governance is a constitutional responsibility.

According to him, Nigeria’s constitution places sovereignty in the hands of citizens and requires their active engagement beyond election periods.

“The constitution does not envision a citizen who appears only on election day. It envisions an active citizen who continuously participates in shaping public affairs, contributing to national development and helping to strengthen democratic institutions,” he said.

Adamu stressed that democracy should not be reduced to voting every four years but should involve sustained engagement in policymaking, accountability and governance processes.

Also speaking during a panel discussion, Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Dayo Aiyetan, identified misinformation and insecurity as major threats to democratic participation ahead of the elections.
Aiyetan, who participated in the June 12 struggle as a journalist with Concord Newspapers, warned that the emergence of AI would further complicate efforts to combat false information.

“With AI, it is going to be such a chaotic thing to handle,” he said.

Representing Executive Director of Inclusive Friends Initiative, Grace Jerry, Molly Joshua said one of the key lessons from the June 12 struggle was the unity demonstrated by Nigerians across ethnic, religious and political divides.

“There was one voice and one goal. People came together to pursue a common objective. That unity is one of the biggest lessons we should learn from that period,” Joshua said.

On his part, Executive Director of Fix Politics Initiative, Anthony Ubani, described the 2027 elections as an opportunity for citizens to shape the future of governance in Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to obtain their PVCs and participate actively in the electoral process.

According to him, voter participation remains one of the most effective tools for driving reforms in governance, economic development and national security.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Associate at Accountability Lab Nigeria, Alfred Agu, said AI could improve transparency and public participation in elections if deployed responsibly.

“The introduction of AI into governance is a plus. It can improve access to information and make citizens more involved in the electoral process.

“INEC and other institutions must have competent personnel who understand how to use these technologies responsibly and ethically,” he said.