Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called for an independent investigation into the alleged unauthorised exposure of voter registration details belonging to Nollywood actor Emeka Ike, describing the incident as deeply concerning for electoral integrity
The controversy began after Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, posted screenshots on social media platform X showing details of Emeka Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja.
The shared information, which appeared to originate from an internal system of the Independent National Electoral Commission, raised immediate public concern, with critics alleging that restricted electoral data may have been accessed and circulated without proper authorization.
In response to the backlash, the electoral commission dismissed suggestions of an external cyberattack on its voter registration database. Instead, it stated that the incident was linked to the misuse of legitimate access credentials by individuals involved in its continuous voter registration operations.
Atiku, speaking through his aide on public communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the explanation provided by INEC raised further questions rather than resolving the matter. He insisted that Nigerians deserve clarity on how sensitive voter records ended up in political circulation.
He further questioned the chain of access and responsibility, asking how confidential electoral data moved from restricted systems into the hands of political actors and their associates.
The former vice-president also called on INEC to go beyond public statements and release a comprehensive report detailing its findings, including how the data was accessed, who handled it, and how it was eventually disclosed.
The development has heightened concerns over data protection and internal controls within Nigeria’s electoral system, with growing calls for stronger safeguards ahead of future elections.
Goodness Anunobi
