Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that the unauthorized disclosure of voter information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database could undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process and threaten the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku said the incident has raised serious concerns about the security of voter information and the ability of key electoral institutions to remain independent and free from political interference.
The former vice president made his position known in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
His reaction followed recent revelations that voter information from INEC’s CVR database was accessed and released without authorization during the ongoing voter registration exercise.
Although INEC has maintained that its systems were not externally hacked, the electoral commission acknowledged that sensitive voter information was accessed through valid official credentials assigned to personnel participating in the registration exercise.
For Atiku, the admission has only intensified concerns about the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the issue goes beyond cyber security and points to deeper concerns about internal controls, accountability and the possibility of political influence within institutions expected to remain neutral.
“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,” he said.
The former presidential candidate argued that the fact that there was no external hacking does not reduce the seriousness of the matter.
Rather, he said it raises more troubling questions about who had access to the information, how it was obtained and whether adequate safeguards exist to prevent abuse of sensitive electoral data.
According to him, Nigerians deserve answers because confidence in the electoral process depends on the credibility and independence of institutions responsible for conducting elections.
Atiku expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the disclosure of the voter information, noting that the data did not emerge through a whistleblower, investigative report or anti-corruption investigation.
Instead, he pointed to the public release of the information by Lere Olayinka, spokesman to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The former vice president said the development has generated further concerns because of recent political comments made by the FCT minister regarding the 2027 presidential election.
According to Atiku, only days before the controversy emerged, Wike had publicly predicted that he would not secure up to 10 per cent of the votes in Rivers State during the next presidential election.
“What makes this entire episode impossible to ignore is that the information in question did not emerge from a whistleblower, an investigative journalist, or an anti-corruption agency. It was publicly released by Mr. Lere Olayinka, spokesman to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike,” he said.
“Only days before this controversy erupted, Minister Wike publicly declared with remarkable certainty that Atiku Abubakar would not secure up to ten percent of the votes in Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election. It was an astonishing claim, not because politicians are forbidden from making predictions, but because of the confidence, precision and finality with which it was delivered.”
Atiku questioned whether such confidence was merely political rhetoric or whether some political actors believed they enjoyed privileged access to institutions that should remain impartial under the Constitution.
He said the controversy has become a test of the independence and credibility of Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
According to him, Nigerians must be assured that institutions responsible for conducting elections are insulated from partisan influence and political pressure.
The former vice president therefore demanded a full explanation of how the information was obtained and released.
He called for transparency regarding the entire chain of custody of the data, including details of who accessed it, who requested it, who received it and how it eventually left INEC’s custody.
“The credibility of the 2027 election will not be determined solely on election day. It is being shaped right now by the willingness of institutions to demonstrate transparency, accountability and independence,” he stated.
“Nigeria cannot afford a situation where confidence in electoral institutions is weakened before campaigns have even properly commenced.”
The controversy comes at a time when political activities ahead of the 2027 elections are gradually gathering momentum.
Although the election is still some distance away, discussions around political alignments, possible candidates and electoral reforms have already begun across the country.
Observers say public trust in INEC remains critical to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
The commission has faced scrutiny in previous election cycles, particularly regarding election management, voter accreditation and the use of technology.
As a result, any concerns about the security of voter information are likely to attract significant public attention.
Despite his criticism, Atiku welcomed INEC’s disclosure that it had identified the specific user account involved in the incident and had questioned the personnel linked to the account.
However, he stressed that identifying a user account should only be the beginning of a thorough investigation.
He also welcomed the decision by the Department of State Services (DSS) to launch an independent investigation into the matter.
According to him, Nigerians expect the investigation to be comprehensive, transparent and free from political influence.
Political analysts say the outcome of the investigations by both INEC and the DSS will be closely watched by political parties, civil society organizations and the general public.
They argue that the way the matter is handled could have implications for public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As the controversy continues to generate debate, calls are growing for stronger safeguards to protect voter information and ensure that sensitive electoral data is not accessed or released without proper authorization.