A stakeholder of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former House of Representatives aspirant for Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Usman Austin Okai, has cautioned Nigerians against submitting sensitive personal information, including their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and National Identification Numbers (NINs), to the organisation identified as the “City Boys Movement.”
Okai issued the warning while reacting to a form currently circulating online in the name of the City Boy Movement, which he said is allegedly seeking to obtain personal information from Nigerians under the guise of mobilising support.
According to him, the nature of the information being requested raises serious concerns about the privacy, security and possible political use of citizens’ personal data, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
The form, according to Okai, requests details including applicants’ names, surnames, states, local government areas, PVC information, NIN and other personal particulars.
He therefore urged Nigerians to exercise extreme caution and avoid voluntarily releasing sensitive identification and electoral information to organisations whose purpose, data-handling procedures and legal authority have not been clearly established.
Okai described the development as suspicious and called on citizens, particularly vulnerable Nigerians, not to allow themselves to be persuaded or pressured into surrendering information that could potentially expose them to identity-related risks or other forms of abuse.
He argued that the collection and handling of personal information must be consistent with Nigeria’s legal framework on privacy and data protection, stressing that citizens have a constitutional right to privacy.
He particularly referenced Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, which guarantees the privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telep Ahone conversations and telegraphic communications.
The ADC stakeholder further maintained that Nigerians must become more conscious of the importance of protecting their personal data in the digital age, especially during politically sensitive periods when voter mobilisation and political campaigns intensify.
He alleged that the development could form part of a broader attempt to influence or manipulate the electoral process ahead of the 2027 presidential election, urging Nigerians to reject any initiative that seeks to obtain sensitive voter or identity information without adequate explanation, transparency and lawful safeguards.
Okai called on relevant government agencies, political stakeholders, civil society organisations and other concerned Nigerians to pay close attention to the circulation of such forms and ensure that citizens are properly educated about the potential implications of surrendering their PVC, NIN and other identifying information.
He stressed that political mobilisation should not be allowed to become a vehicle for the indiscriminate collection of citizens’ sensitive personal data, insisting that Nigerians have a responsibility to demand accountability, transparency and proper data-protection safeguards from any organisation seeking such information.
He therefore urged Nigerians to verify the identity, ownership, purpose and legal basis of any organisation requesting their personal or electoral information before providing it, adding that citizens should report suspicious data-collection activities to the appropriate authorities.
Okai concluded by calling for heightened public awareness and vigilance as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections gather momentum, stressing that the protection of citizens’ personal information must remain a collective responsibility.
