The controversy surrounding the publication of Nollywood actor and politician Emeka Ike’s voter registration details has deepened, with his legal team threatening legal action against Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The lawyers also criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission, warning that the incident raises serious concerns about data privacy, electoral integrity and public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the legal team described the online circulation of information allegedly obtained from INEC’s database as a grave violation of Ike’s right to privacy.
Ike, a veteran actor, is seeking to represent the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. The contest marks his second attempt at elective office.
His opponents include Micah Jiba of the Peoples Democratic Party, John Gabaya of the All Progressives Congress and the incumbent lawmaker, Joshua Obika of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Ike had previously contested a House of Representatives seat in 2018 under the Young Progressives Party in Imo State’s Ideato South Constituency but lost to Paschal Obi of the Action Alliance.
The latest controversy began after Olayinka posted details from Ike’s voter registration record on social media while questioning his eligibility to contest for a legislative seat in the FCT.
The post reportedly contained information relating to Ike’s voter transfer from Imo State to the FCT, triggering widespread criticism and questions over how the details were obtained.
Addressing journalists, lead counsel to Ike, Leonard Adeh, said the matter goes beyond his client and strikes at the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“I view this very saddening situation from two perspectives. First, regarding my client, Honourable Emeka Ike, I believe this action by Lere is a serious criminal breach of his right to privacy,” Adeh said.
“The INEC database is one of the most sensitive and highly secured databases in the country. On the other hand, this incident represents a serious blow to public trust in INEC and strikes directly at the credibility of the electoral process.”
Adeh said he and his client were shocked that sensitive personal information could be publicly disclosed on social media.
According to him, Olayinka’s action not only embarrassed Ike but also undermined democratic values and raised concerns about national security.
“It is a serious offence against his person, and appropriate legal action will be taken accordingly.
“We are reviewing the situation and taking the necessary steps to involve relevant law enforcement agencies while also considering civil action. This reckless action will attract consequential damages,” he said.
Another member of the legal team, Abdulhameed Otori, said the incident suggested that no Nigerian’s personal data was safe if information belonging to a public figure like Ike could be leaked.
“If they can do this to a well-known personality under whatever guise, then nobody’s data is safe,” Otori said.
He called on Olayinka to withdraw the post and issue a public apology, while urging INEC to go beyond issuing a press statement.
“We all demand that he retract the post and issue a public apology. INEC must also go beyond issuing a press statement and take meaningful steps to address the issue,” he said.
Otori further urged INEC to act transparently and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
“This is not a matter that should be swept under the carpet. It is a weighty issue. INEC must act transparently and ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” he added.
Meanwhile, INEC has launched an investigation into the incident.
In a statement signed by Mohammed Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission said it was taking the allegation seriously.
“The Commission takes this allegation seriously and has immediately commenced a thorough investigation to establish the facts surrounding the incident,” INEC said.
The commission explained that authorised registration officers involved in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise were granted controlled access to specific parts of the voter registration system for official duties.
INEC stressed that such access was restricted to official use only.
According to the commission, preliminary findings showed that there was no external breach or hacking of its CVR database.
“The audit trail from the preliminary investigation enabled the Commission to identify the user account used to access the information. Relevant personnel have been questioned, and all units connected to the incident are cooperating fully with the investigation,” the statement said.
INEC added that the information was accessed through valid user credentials assigned to personnel involved in the CVR exercise but was released without authorisation.
“The incident 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.
INEC said it was reviewing internal access-control procedures and would take disciplinary action against anyone found culpable.
The commission also disclosed that the Department of State Services had independently commenced an investigation into the matter.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting voter information and maintaining the integrity of its electoral systems.
“The Commission 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,” it added.
The commission said it would cooperate fully with security agencies and ensure that anyone found responsible faces appropriate legal consequences.
The post “Nobody’s Data Is Safe” — Emeka Ike’s Lawyers Threaten Legal Action Against Wike’s Aide Over Alleged INEC Voter Data Leak appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
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