INEC Denies Voter Database Hack Over Emeka Ike Leak

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims that its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database was hacked following the unauthorised disclosure of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike’s voter information.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the electoral commission said preliminary findings from its audit showed there was no external breach of its database, which contains records of more than 90 million registered voters.

According to INEC, the incident resulted from the misuse of valid internal credentials by authorised personnel rather than an external cyberattack.

INEC Traces Leak to Internal Access

The commission explained that the leaked voter information originated from controlled access granted to officials responsible for voter registration, transfers and data updates.

“Preliminary findings from the Commission’s audit trail so far indicate that there was no external breach of the CVR database, no hacking incident, and no unauthorised external access,” INEC said.

The commission added that its audit process had identified the user account linked to the disclosure and that relevant personnel were being questioned as part of ongoing investigations.

INEC stressed that its systems remain secure and that there was no evidence suggesting that unauthorised individuals gained access to its voter database.

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Emeka Ike Leak Sparks Controversy

The controversy began on May 30 when Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, shared screenshots on X showing details of Emeka Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory.

The information appeared to have been obtained from INEC’s restricted administrative portal, which is accessible only to authorised election officials.

Olayinka shared the screenshots while questioning the actor’s eligibility to contest a House of Representatives seat in Abuja following his reported participation in recent political party primary activities.

The disclosure triggered widespread criticism, with many Nigerians raising concerns over data privacy and accusing Olayinka of accessing information from a password-protected government platform.

Reacting to the development during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Ike condemned the disclosure and threatened legal action against Olayinka.

The actor described the incident as “political rascality” and questioned how his personal voter information became public.

INEC said investigations into the matter are continuing and assured Nigerians that appropriate action would be taken against anyone found responsible for violating data access protocols.

Segun Lasisi

A Lagos-based journalist with a passion for disseminating factual information and a deep appreciation for good music, good food, movies, and beautiful cars. He hopes to travel the world someday, documenting its beauty and diverse cultures through his storytelling.