Nollywood actor Emeka Ike has instituted a ₦10 billion lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Lere Olayinka, a media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over an alleged breach of his personal data and privacy rights, with Ike asking the court to hold both defendants responsible for the disclosure of information relating to his voter registration record.
The legal action stems from a post shared by Olayinka on X in May, in which screenshots allegedly showing details of Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory were published. Olayinka had questioned the actor’s eligibility to contest for a House of Representatives seat in Abuja following his recent political activities and participation in party primaries.
INEC had earlier addressed concerns surrounding the disclosure, maintaining that the information was not exposed through a cyberattack on its systems. According to the commission, the incident resulted from the misuse of internal access credentials rather than a breach of its digital infrastructure.
In his suit, Ike argued that the publication of his voter information violated his constitutional and statutory rights to privacy and data protection. He cited Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Sections 24 and 39 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 as legal safeguards protecting his personal information.
Beyond seeking ₦10 billion in damages, Ike is also asking the court to order the removal of the disputed social media post and compel Olayinka to issue a public apology. The case is expected to test the application of Nigeria’s data protection laws and privacy rights in relation to electoral records and political discourse.
Elijah Adeyemi
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