Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the controversial leak of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike’s voter registration details, saying Nigerians deserve full disclosure on how sensitive information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ended up in the public domain.
The controversy began after Lere Olayinka, media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, shared screenshots online showing details of Emeka Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja.
The information, which appeared to have been obtained from a restricted INEC administrative platform, was posted amid debates surrounding the actor’s eligibility to contest for a House of Representatives seat in the Federal Capital Territory.
The disclosure immediately sparked widespread criticism, with many Nigerians questioning how confidential voter records could be accessed and published by individuals outside the electoral commission.
Amid the growing controversy, INEC released a statement acknowledging that the information was accessed using valid credentials assigned to officials involved in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. However, the commission maintained that there was no external cyberattack or hacking of its database.
Reacting to INEC’s explanation, Atiku said the commission’s statement had only raised more questions than answers.
In a statement issued through his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, the former presidential candidate argued that the key issue is not whether the database was hacked, but how sensitive voter information left INEC’s custody and ended up with political actors.
According to Atiku, Nigerians deserve a clear explanation regarding who accessed the information, who authorised its release, who received it and the circumstances surrounding the disclosure.
He stressed that the incident raises serious concerns about internal controls, data protection measures and the integrity of sensitive voter information held by the electoral body.
Atiku also questioned why the trail of the leaked information appeared to lead directly to political figures, insisting that the matter should not be treated as a routine administrative issue.
The former vice-president called on INEC to go beyond issuing public statements and release the complete findings of its investigation to reassure Nigerians that voter data remains secure.
He warned that public confidence in the electoral process could be undermined if questions surrounding the leak are not fully addressed.
The incident has continued to generate debate across political circles, with calls mounting for accountability and stronger safeguards to protect the personal information of millions of registered voters ahead of future elections.
