Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has called on the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to investigate what it described as an alleged unauthorised and fraudulent use of personal data of constituents in the failed recall attempt of the Senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The organisation expressed concern that voters’ personal information may have been illegally harvested and deployed without their consent to generate signatures for the recall petition.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, TMG Chairman, Auwal Rafsanjani, observed that such an act amounts to a gross violation of the Data Protection Act, which he said, also undermines public trust in the country’s democratic process.
He called for a forensic verification of the Voter Identification Numbers (VINs) submitted in the recall process, using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
TMG’s position came a few days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dismissed the petition seeking to recall Natasha for failing to meet constitutional requirements.
The commission had revealed that following a thorough review of the signatures and thumbprints submitted by petitioners, only 208,132 signatories were verified, falling short of the required 237,278.
Rafsanjani, however, expressed concern on how more than 50 per cent of total registered voters in Kogi Central quickly turned up to sign the petition for the recall of Natasha in a country, he said, has historically experienced a worrisome level of voter apathy.
According to him, the incident calls for deeper insight that can only be brought about through thorough investigation.
“While it is noted that INEC has terminated the process at the stage of counting signatories to the petition as the number of signatories did not meet the constitutional requirements for further verification, the seeming fraud of harvesting voters’ details from anywhere to file the petition cannot be overlooked,” he said.
Rafsanjani added: “We are also deeply worried that against the provision of the Data Protection Act, personal data of citizens of Kogi Central Senatorial District have been harvested and used without their consent. This fraud must be investigated by the National Data Protection Commission to assure Nigerians that their personal data will indeed be protected as envisaged by the law.
“Further investigations to verify and authenticate the Voter Identification Number (VIN) through the BVAS must be carried out. Where investigations reveal a fraudulent process, the petitioners must be brought to justice to serve as deterrent to those who would be willing to be induced and used by politicians for this kind of charade in the future.”
BUT the NDPC, yesterday, reiterated commitment to enhancing data privacy among public and private bodies in the country.
The commission’s National Commissioner and CEO, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, gave the assurance in Katsina State at a three-day regional capacity-building training on Data Protection and Privacy for ICT personnel from all Northwestern states.
Olatunji said the commission aims to enforce stricter data protection measures to safeguard sensitive public and private information, as well as promote regulatory compliance in line with relevant laws.
Represented by the Head, Enforcement Unit, Princewill Nnaka, the CEO hinted that the commission hopes to achieve the objectives through raising awareness of data policy rights, staff training, and enhancing capacity building with development partners.
He said with equate data protection, the problem of cyber bullying, financial losses online, and death of victims would be addressed extensively.
Also speaking, Director-General of Katsina State Directorate of ICT (KATDICT), Naufal Ahmed, explained that the training was to build the foundational knowledge and technical skills required for implementation of the NDPA 2023 among ICT and data management personnel across Northwestern states.
Ahmed said the training would also equip participants with the capacity to serve as Master Trainers and Data Protection Officers (DPOs) within their respective institutions.
