….questions how voter information reached Wike’s aide
Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called for a comprehensive, transparent and independent investigation into the alleged unauthorized disclosure of information from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s, INEC, Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, database.
He made the demand in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in response to INEC’s recent explanation regarding reports of unauthorized access to voter registration information.
According to the former vice president, INEC’s clarification that its information technology infrastructure was not externally hacked does not diminish the seriousness of the incident. Rather, he argued, the commission’s admission that voter information was accessed using valid official credentials and later released without authorization raises deeper concerns about internal controls and possible political interference.
He said Nigerians deserved answers on how information stored in a restricted electoral database found its way into the public domain.
“Atiku noted that while INEC has denied any external cyberattack, the commission acknowledged that information was retrieved through credentials assigned to personnel involved in the ongoing voter registration exercise and subsequently disclosed without authorization,” the statement said.
The ADC presidential candidate questioned how sensitive electoral information moved from INEC’s internal systems into the possession of political actors and their associates.
The controversy, he argued, is particularly troubling because the information was not exposed by whistleblowers, investigative journalists or anti-corruption agencies but was allegedly published by Lere Olayinka, spokesman to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
According to Mr Atiku, INEC has already confirmed that the information originated from its restricted voter registration database and was accessed through authorized credentials, making it necessary for the commission to explain how such information reached individuals outside the electoral body.
The former vice president also linked the issue to recent political developments, citing comments by Wike predicting that Atiku would fail to secure up to 10 per cent of votes in Rivers State during the 2027 presidential election.
While acknowledging that politicians are entitled to make predictions, Atiku said the certainty and precision of the minister’s remarks have become more significant in light of the current controversy.
He argued that the emergence of INEC-sourced information within Wike’s political circle raises questions about whether politically connected individuals may have access to information unavailable to ordinary citizens.
“Atiku maintained that democracy depends not only on the independence of institutions but also on public confidence in that independence,” the statement added.
The former vice president warned that public trust could be undermined when political actors appear to possess information that should be inaccessible to them, stressing that the issue has evolved beyond the disclosure of a single voter record.
According to him, the matter now serves as a test of whether Nigeria’s electoral institutions are genuinely insulated from political influence.
He called for the disclosure of what he described as the “full chain of custody” of the information, including details of who accessed it, who requested it, who received it, and how it ultimately reached political actors.
Atiku insisted that the controversy is not about individuals but about the credibility of democratic institutions and the confidence citizens can place in them.
He welcomed INEC’s disclosure that it had identified the specific user account through which the information was accessed and had already questioned relevant personnel.
However, he said identifying a user account was only the first step and urged the commission to reveal whether anyone outside the electoral body benefited from or encouraged the unauthorized disclosure.
The former vice president also expressed support for the involvement of the Department of State Services, which INEC said has commenced an independent investigation into the incident.
He urged the security agency to conduct a thorough, impartial and fearless probe, insisting that no individual should be shielded from scrutiny because of political influence or proximity to power.
Atiku further warned that confidence in democratic institutions is already under strain and that incidents of this nature could worsen public skepticism about the electoral process.
He said elections are weakened not only by actual manipulation but also by perceptions that manipulation is possible, arguing that public suspicion about partisan influence over electoral systems could damage the credibility of future polls.
The former vice president therefore called on INEC to publish the complete findings of its investigation, including the identities of those responsible, disciplinary measures taken and reforms introduced to prevent a recurrence.
According to him, the credibility of the 2027 general election is already being shaped by the willingness of institutions to demonstrate transparency, accountability and independence.
Atiku maintained that Nigerians deserve assurances that their personal data is protected, electoral systems remain secure and no politician enjoys privileged access to electoral processes.
“If there has been no compromise, let the facts be made public. If electoral institutions are truly independent, let them demonstrate that independence,” he said.
