Nigeria's electoral portal breach fuels trust deficit ahead of polls

Nigeria's electoral system faces renewed scrutiny following a breach of the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) Continuous Voter Registration Portal. Lere Olayinka, a media aide to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, allegedly accessed and published sensitive database information, prompting investigations by both INEC and the Department of State Services (DSS).

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For every Nigerian who has had the benefit of a decent education, now is the time to obtain something else: some kind of swivel for your attention on public issues.

The incident has amplified existing distrust in Nigeria's electoral processes, particularly with a pivotal election looming. Critics point to INEC's history of failing public tests and its reluctance to address issues from the 2023 elections, including international recommendations for reform. The specific case of Olayinka's alleged access raises questions about how an aide to a powerful minister could obtain detailed screenshots to mock a politician's voter registration.

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But the problem is bigger, arising from our electoral commissions’ decades of failing public tests.

While INEC's preliminary narrative suggests a "lone insider" was responsible, thereby protecting the system's integrity, and the DSS is also investigating, confidence in these bodies is low. The article highlights a lack of true independence from political figures like President Tinubu and Minister Wike. This situation unfolds against the backdrop of President Tinubu signing the Electoral Act 2026 Amendment, which includes a controversial Section 60(3) loophole allowing manual result transmission where electronic transmission fails, potentially undermining electoral credibility.

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Nigerians are staring at a pivotal election seven months away in which there is no reason to trust that INEC chairman Joash Amupitan is not a plant set in place to read a predetermined script.