Veteran Nollywood actor, businessman, and politician Emeka Ike has stated that justice, rather than financial compensation, remains the driving force behind his legal battle against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Speaking in an interview with Pulse Nigeria, the actor emphasized that the lawsuit goes beyond his personal interest, describing it as a fight to uphold accountability and protect Nigerians.
“Honestly, what I want is justice. I want justice for Nigeria, however it comes, and so that they can stop taking Nigerians for a ride. That’s just what I crave,” Ike said.
Lawsuit centers on privacy violation, not money
Ike stressed that his N10 billion claim is not the central issue in the case. “It’s not about anything; it’s not about the money, it’s not about the election, but about us being prudent, truthful and official in everything we do.” He added, “We just need to keep applying the law to strengthen the edges of Nigerian democracy, and that’s what I’m trying to do. So, it’s basically to strengthen the democratic structure in Nigeria so people can know what is right.”
Asked whether he would consider settling the matter outside the courtroom, Ike maintained that justice remained his priority. “It’s not for the money, and if they want peace, it is fine, but I want justice, which is, most importantly, what should be. Justice is what we crave.”
Court encourages out-of-court settlement
At Wednesday's sitting, the Federal High Court in Abuja advised Ike and Olayinka to consider resolving the matter through an out-of-court settlement. Justice Salim Ibrahim made the recommendation after all parties in the suit were represented before the court. The suit stems from events following Ike's bid to secure the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket for the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The actor alleged that Olayinka published screenshots containing details of his voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja on X without his consent. In the suit filed through his lawyer, Leonard Adeh, the actor is asking the court to declare that the publication violated his constitutional right to privacy and the protections guaranteed under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023. He also argued that INEC has a legal duty to safeguard the personal information of registered voters.
INEC and Olayinka argue information was public
Among his requests are N10 billion in general and aggravated damages against INEC and Olayinka; a declaration that INEC's public response to the incident amounted to an admission of liability; an order directing Olayinka to delete the post; and a written apology. INEC and Olayinka, however, urged the court to dismiss the suit. In a counter-affidavit deposed to by Anthonia Makwe, an Assistant Director and Data Protection Officer in the commission's Legal Drafting and Clearance Department, INEC argued that the information published was neither confidential nor sensitive. She maintained that such voter details are publicly displayed in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
While INEC maintained that the information was neither confidential nor sensitive, Olayinka, in a counter-affidavit filed by his counsel, Akpama Ekwe, argued that the details shared were already in the public domain. The case continues to highlight tensions between privacy rights and public disclosure in Nigeria's electoral processes.
