The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a N10 billion lawsuit filed by Nollywood actor and House of Representatives aspirant Emeka Ike, which accuses the commission of leaking his confidential voter information ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Details of the lawsuit
Emeka Ike sued INEC and Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, alleging that his fundamental right to privacy was violated after his voter registration details were published on X (formerly Twitter). Although Olayinka made the publication, Ike argued that the information originated from records held by INEC. Through his lawyer, Leonard Adeh, Ike asked the court to declare that publishing his details without his consent constituted a breach of his privacy and personal data protection rights.
INEC's response
In its response, INEC denied any involvement in the alleged leak and argued that voter information submitted during registration is not classified or confidential. The electoral body maintained that the information referenced in the suit had already been published in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
In a counter-affidavit filed by Anthonia Makwe, an assistant director and data protection officer in INEC's Legal Drafting and Clearance Department, the commission argued that it is legally empowered to compile, maintain, display and publish the voters' register without first seeking the consent of registered voters. INEC also stated that its responsibilities are guided by the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, insisting that the information in question was neither sensitive nor confidential.
Denial of data leak
However, the commission denied making the information available to Olayinka and asked the court to reject claims that it breached its duty to protect voters' personal data. Olayinka also urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the information he shared was already in the public domain and was not obtained unlawfully. According to his lawyer, Akpama Ekwe, the publication only contained Ike's name and passport photograph, and therefore did not amount to a breach of confidentiality.
Arguments from Olayinka
Olayinka further argued that, as a politician seeking elective office, Ike could not claim to have been traumatised by the publication of information he voluntarily submitted as part of the electoral process. He also cited Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to publish and display the voters' register before general elections to allow public scrutiny.
Next hearing date
Justice Salim Ibrahim has fixed October 12 for the hearing of the case.
