For stories, adverts, & ENQUIRIES, wHATSAPP US @ +2347036240302
Politics: INEC Launches Probe into Alleged Unauthorized Voter Database Access After Wike’s Aide Leaks Emeka Ike’s Registration Info
Wike's Aide accused of unauthorized access to INEC Website.
NEWS
The Nigerian Record
6/2/20263 min read
June 2, 2026 – News
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced an investigation into claims of unauthorized entry into its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database. The probe follows the public release of voter information belonging to a candidate who recently took part in a political party’s primary election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, had shared voter registration details of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike shortly after Ike declared his intention to run for a House of Representatives seat in the FCT.
The leaked records appeared to originate from INEC’s restricted administrative portal—not the publicly available IReV platform—sparking immediate concerns over unauthorized access.
Veteran journalist and former presidential aide Reuben Abati publicly demanded that Olayinka explain how he gained entry to the protected database. Abati noted that the portal is password-secured and meant only for INEC officials, making Olayinka’s access deeply suspicious.
Data protection advocates and other critics warned that if political aides can breach INEC’s backend systems, the security of Nigerians’ personal voter data is compromised, potentially eroding public trust in the electoral process.
Some opposition figures alleged that the ruling APC may have privileged access to INEC’s database, raising fears of electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, signed by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the electoral body said it takes the allegations seriously and has launched a thorough investigation to uncover the facts.
INEC stated that its attention was drawn to social media posts and media reports claiming that information had been unlawfully obtained from the CVR database and subsequently published.
The statement read: “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to allegations currently circulating on social media and in some sections of the media regarding the alleged unauthorised access to the Commission's Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database and the subsequent publication of information on a candidate in the recent primaries of a political party in the Federal Capital Territory.
“The Commission takes this allegation seriously and has immediately commenced a thorough investigation to establish the facts surrounding the incident.”
INEC explained that during the ongoing nationwide CVR exercise, authorized Registration Officers are given restricted access to specific parts of the system for official tasks only—such as registering new voters, processing transfer requests, and updating records. That access is revoked once the registration exercise ends.
Giving an update on preliminary findings, the Commission said its audit trail has already identified the user account used to access the information.
“Accordingly, relevant personnel have been questioned, and all units connected with the incident are cooperating fully with the investigation,” Haruna said.
INEC added that investigators are reviewing all technical, administrative, and operational aspects of the incident to determine whether internal access protocols were violated.
“The Commission is also examining all technical, administrative and operational factors associated with the matter in order to establish individual responsibility and determine the circumstances surrounding the use of those credentials and identify any breach of internal access-control protocols before taking appropriate action against anyone involved,” it said.
However, INEC noted that preliminary findings have so far ruled out any cyberattack or external system breach.
“Preliminary findings from the Commission's audit trail so far, however, indicate that there was no external breach of the CVR database, no hacking incident, and no unauthorised external access to the Commission's ICT infrastructure,” INEC said.
“Rather, the information in question was accessed through valid user credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing CVR exercise but released without authority.”
The Commission stressed that the incident involved only the retrieval of a single voter record and did not suggest any wider compromise of its voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of millions of registered voters nationwide.
“The incident under investigation relates to the retrieval of a specific voter record and does not indicate any compromise of the Commission's broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of over 90 million registered voters,” the Commission stated.
Reaffirming its commitment to data protection and institutional integrity, INEC assured Nigerians that safeguarding voter information remains a top priority.
“The Commission wishes to state categorically that it takes the security, confidentiality and integrity of voter data with the utmost seriousness and remains committed to transparency, institutional integrity, and the protection of voters' personal information,” Haruna added.
The electoral body also disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has independently started its own investigation into the matter.
“Furthermore, the Department of State Services (DSS), on its own accord, has commenced an independent investigation into the matter. The Commission will continue to cooperate fully with all relevant security agencies and will not hesitate to refer any person found culpable for appropriate legal action.”
INEC urged the public and media to avoid speculation while investigations continue, promising to share the final findings once the inquiry is complete.
“The Commission will continue to keep the public informed of its final findings and any measures taken in response to the incident in due course,” the Commission said.