Emeka Ike Loses ₦10bn Privacy Suit Against Wike’s Aide, INEC

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a ₦10 billion lawsuit filed by Nollywood actor Emeka Ike against Lere Olayinka, an aide to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the alleged publication of his voter registration details on social media.

Justice Salim Ibrahim delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after considering objections raised by the respondents and the actor’s claims over the alleged violation of his right to privacy and protection of personal data.

Ike had approached the court seeking ₦10 billion in damages, arguing that Olayinka violated his fundamental rights by publishing information about his transfer of voter registration from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory on his X account in May.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026, was filed through his lawyer, L.T. Adeh. The actor asked the court to declare that the publication of his voter registration information without his consent violated Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

He also sought an order directing Olayinka to delete the disputed post and issue a written apology over the alleged infringement of his rights.

Ike further argued that INEC had a statutory responsibility to safeguard voters’ personal information against unauthorised access and disclosure. He maintained that the commission’s statement issued on June 2 in response to the controversy amounted to an admission of liability.

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However, INEC denied violating its obligation to protect voters’ information. The commission argued that the material in question was neither classified nor confidential and maintained that relevant electoral laws permitted certain voter information to be made available to the public.

INEC also denied that the disputed material originated from a breach of its secured database or that its systems had been unlawfully accessed.

Olayinka, in his defence, argued that the information he published contained Ike’s name and passport photograph, which he claimed were already in the public domain. He denied obtaining the information unlawfully or breaching any duty of confidentiality.

The aide also maintained that the publication was intended to draw attention to Ike’s transfer of voter registration and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act. He urged the court to dismiss the case, describing the actor’s damages claim as unjustified.

The dispute emerged after Ike indicated interest in contesting the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives in the 2027 general election on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). He subsequently lost the party’s primary election.

The dismissal represents a legal setback for the actor, who had sought substantial compensation over the publication of his voter registration details.

The case has also drawn attention to questions surrounding the handling of voters’ personal information, the limits of public disclosure and the responsibilities of electoral institutions in protecting citizens’ data.