What if the next political statement you see online was never made by the politician it was attributed to?
That is one of the biggest concerns Nigeria should be having as we approach the 2027 general election.
For days, purported front pages of Tribune and Vanguard have circulated online, carrying sensational statements allegedly made by Atiku Abubakar. One claimed he would share one bag of rice to every family every week, while another suggested Nigerians would not pay house rent if he became president.
Whether created with AI or through other forms of manipulation, such content shows how easily political misinformation can be packaged to look like credible journalism.
And this is where things could get dangerous.
AI can create convincing photographs, videos, voices and statements that make it difficult for an ordinary person to know what is real. A politician can be made to appear to insult a religion, attack an ethnic group, endorse a candidate or announce a policy he never mentioned.
By the time the truth emerges, the damage may already have been done.
Political supporters could also exploit AI to create propaganda against their opponents. And because many AI tools are cheap or freely accessible in Nigeria, this technology will not be limited to political parties. Individuals and online supporters can participate too.
The 2027 election may therefore be fought heavily on social media, where a fake video can travel faster than the truth.
Politicians may even need special advisers on AI to monitor fabricated content, protect their reputation and understand how technology can be used to influence voters.
But the greatest responsibility will ultimately fall on the voter.
We must learn to question what we see, hear and share.
A newspaper front page can be fake. A voice can be cloned. A video can be manipulated. A politician can be made to say what he never said.
AI may change the way politicians campaign in 2027, but its greatest danger may be changing what Nigerians believe.
