CITAD asks NIMC DG to quit APC campaign council

The Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, has called for the immediate resignation of the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission, Dr Bisoye Coker-Odusote, from her alleged role in the APC Presidential Campaign Council, warning that the dual position could undermine public confidence in the political neutrality of Nigeria’s national identity database.

The call comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission lifts restrictions on presidential campaign activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement signed by the CITAD Executive Director, Yunusa Ya’u, and made available to journalists, the centre expressed “serious concern” over Coker-Odusote’s alleged appointment as Director of Data Management in the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.

The statement noted that NIMC is a highly sensitive national institution.

“NIMC is responsible for establishing, owning, operating, maintaining and managing Nigeria’s National Identity Database, which contains the personal and biometric information of millions of Nigerians,” CITAD said.

According to the centre, the integrity of the database was not negotiable.

“The integrity, confidentiality and political neutrality of this infrastructure are therefore matters of national security and public trust,” Ya’u stated.

The group argued that holding both positions simultaneously created a potential conflict of interest.

“CITAD is concerned that the simultaneous roles… create a serious conflict of interest and an appearance of compromised neutrality,” the statement read.

With campaigns beginning, CITAD said data would be central to political activities.

“As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, political parties will increasingly rely on personal data for voter engagement, political profiling, digital targeting and campaign communication,” CITAD noted.

However, the centre stressed that the two roles should not be combined.

“The person responsible for managing data for one political party should not, at the same time, head an institution entrusted with the sensitive identity data of all Nigerians,” it said.

Clarifying its position, Ya’u said, “We are not alleging that NIMC data has been transferred to the APC or that Dr Coker-Odusote has misused citizens’ information.

“Our concern is about the institutional conflict, perception of partisan influence and erosion of public confidence that this arrangement creates.”

Furthermore, CITAD posed a question over whether the alleged dual role could undermine public confidence in NIMC.

“Can the head of Nigeria’s national identity institution simultaneously serve as a senior data official of a partisan presidential campaign and still command unquestionable public confidence in the political neutrality of NIMC?” the group asked.

It therefore stated that “CITAD believes that this situation is untenable.”

The group based its demand on what it described as public service rules.

“The principles governing public service require public institutions to remain impartial and separate from partisan political activities,” it stated.

“CITAD therefore calls on Dr Bisoye Coker-Odusote to immediately resign from her position in the APC Presidential Campaign Council,” Ya’u said.

It added an alternative: “If she chooses to retain the partisan campaign position, she should relinquish her position as Director-General of NIMC,” the statement said.

The group also tasked the Federal Government and oversight bodies with ensuring that NIMC’s databases, systems and personnel were not used for partisan political purposes.

It called on the authorities to “establish clear safeguards separating NIMC’s statutory responsibilities from political campaign activities.”

The centre further demanded “strong protection against the political profiling, exploitation or unauthorised use of Nigerians’ personal data” and urged “all political parties and candidates” to commit to the responsible, lawful and transparent use of personal data during the 2027 elections.

CITAD said it would continue monitoring the issue through its PAWSOM-Monitor initiative.

“As the country moves towards 2027, CITAD will continue to monitor developments that could undermine citizens’ digital rights or create an uneven digital playing field for political actors,” Ya’u stated.

The group noted that the initiative was piloted during the recent Osun State governorship election, adding that “the conflict of interest presented by the dual roles of Dr Bisoye sits at the centre of our election observation.”

CITAD therefore reiterated its call for Coker-Odusote “to resign from the APC campaign team or relinquish her position as head of NIMC in order to protect the integrity of the institution, safeguard public confidence and uphold the principle of political neutrality in the management of Nigeria’s national identity infrastructure.”

Presidency, through the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, said the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council list for the 2027 election had not been withdrawn, although adjustments will be made to the structure.

Meanwhile, Tinubu on Thursday held closed door talks with governors elected on the platform of the APC, otherwise known as the Progressives Governors‘ Forum, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.