Atiku Sparks Debate With Call For Full Investigation Into INEC Voter Data Issue

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised concerns that the unauthorised release of voter information from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database poses a serious threat to the credibility of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

He warned that the incident highlights the vulnerability of Nigeria’s electoral system to possible political manipulation, even before official campaign activities have fully begun.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said INEC’s clarification on the matter raised more questions than it answered.

According to him, although the commission ruled out external hacking, it admitted that sensitive voter data was accessed using valid official credentials and later released without authorisation.

Atiku described INEC’s admission as deeply troubling, stressing that it raises concerns about internal safeguards and the integrity of electoral processes.

He said, “INEC’s statement has moved this issue beyond conjecture. The Commission has now confirmed that voter information was accessed through credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing CVR exercise and that such information was released without authority. That admission alone should concern every Nigerian.”

The former vice president argued that the absence of an external breach does not reduce the seriousness of the situation, but rather points to potential internal lapses or interference.

He further noted that the controversy became more concerning because the information did not originate from whistleblowers or investigative agencies, but was instead made public by Lere Olayinka, spokesman to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Atiku recalled that shortly before the incident, Wike had confidently predicted that he would not secure significant votes in Rivers State in the 2027 election, a statement he described as unusually precise and assertive.

He questioned whether such confidence reflected political speculation or suggested access to privileged electoral information.

According to him, Nigerians deserve clarity on whether any political actors have undue access to institutions that are expected to remain neutral.

Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for 2027, said the incident raises serious questions about the independence of Nigeria’s electoral system and demanded a full investigation into how the voter data was accessed and released.

He called for transparency on who accessed the information, who authorised it, and how it left INEC custody.

He warned that public confidence in the 2027 elections would depend not only on Election Day processes but also on how issues of transparency and accountability are handled before the polls.

Atiku welcomed INEC’s disclosure that it had identified the user account involved and questioned those responsible, but stressed that this was only an initial step.

He also expressed support for the Department of State Services’ investigation, urging a thorough and transparent probe into the matter.

He maintained that anything short of full accountability could further erode public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of 2027.