₦10 Billion Lawsuit Takes New Twist As INEC Denies Violating Emeka Ike’s Privacy

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the voter registration information at the centre of a ₦10 billion fundamental rights suit filed by Nollywood actor and House of Representatives aspirant Emeka Ike is neither confidential nor classified.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In its response to the lawsuit, INEC argued that the information in dispute was published in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and that the commission is legally authorised to make voter registration details available for public inspection without seeking the prior consent of registered voters.

The electoral body made the submission in a counter-affidavit filed in opposition to the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026.

Ike had instituted the action against INEC and the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lere Olayinka, over the publication of his voter registration details on the social media platform X.

The actor contended that the disclosure violated his constitutional right to privacy and breached data protection laws relating to his personal information.

Through his counsel, Leonard Adeh, Ike is asking the court to declare that the publication of information allegedly obtained from the voter register without his consent amounted to a violation of his fundamental rights. He is also seeking ₦10 billion in damages.

Responding to the claims, Olayinka, through his lawyer, Akpama Ekwe, denied unlawfully obtaining or releasing any confidential information belonging to the actor.

He argued that the details he shared were already in the public domain and consisted only of Ike’s name and passport photograph.

Olayinka further maintained that he owed the applicant no duty of confidentiality, adding that a politician seeking elective office could not reasonably claim injury from the publication of information voluntarily submitted during the voter registration process and already made public through political activities.

He also relied on Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to display and publish the voters’ register before general elections for public scrutiny.

INEC’s counter-affidavit was deposed to by Anthonia Makwe, an Assistant Director and Data Protection Officer in the commission’s Legal Drafting and Clearance Department.

According to the commission, its constitutional and statutory responsibilities include compiling, maintaining, displaying, publishing, certifying and managing the national register of voters in line with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

INEC maintained that the information at the centre of the dispute does not qualify as sensitive or confidential data.

The commission also denied that the document allegedly published by Olayinka originated from its records, insisting it has continued to protect the personal information of registered voters in its custody.

Following the filings, the presiding judge adjourned the matter until October 12, 2026, for further hearing.