By Joseph Abiodu
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has said the welfare of journalists must be improved to protect the nation’s democracy from fake news and AI-manipulated disinformation.
Speaking on Thursday in Enugu at the 24th All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) 2026, Amupitan said ethical journalism cannot thrive where reporters face unpaid salaries and poor conditions.
He told managing directors and publishers at the event, which had over 500 participants, that a financially insecure newsroom is prone to compromise.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC had reformed its own system by creating the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS) effective January 1, 2026, and raising salaries and overheads for state offices by 150 per cent from July 1, 2026.
He warned that Nigeria is now in an age of synthetic reality where deepfake videos and cloned audio could undermine elections, especially ahead of 2027.
To address this, he said the commission has established an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division, developed an AI roadmap anchored on transparency and data protection, and introduced tools that flag inconsistencies in results management.
He said the initiative is supported by the Electoral Act 2026, the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, and the Cybercrimes Act 2024.
He put polling unit opening rate in the August 15 Osun governorship election at 94.5 per cent by 8:30 a.m., with 5,130 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices deployed.
He confirmed that Presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on January 16, 2027, and Governorship and State Assembly elections on February 6, 2027.
He advised editors to prioritise verification over speed.
