₦10 Billion Battle Ends In Defeat For Actor Emeka Ike In Court

The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the ₦10 billion fundamental rights suit filed by Nollywood actor Emeka Ike against Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Justice Salim Ibrahim, in a ruling delivered on Wednesday, reportedly upheld the respondents’ preliminary objections, declaring the suit incompetent and improperly constituted. The judge also dismissed the substantive case on the grounds that the actor failed to provide sufficient proof to support his claims.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Ike had approached the court after accusing Olayinka of publishing his voter registration details on social media platform X without his consent in May. The actor alleged that the action violated his fundamental right to privacy and the protection of his personal data.

In his court filings, Ike asked the court to declare that the alleged publication of his registration information amounted to a breach of his constitutional rights. He also sought ₦10 billion in general and aggravated damages against Olayinka and INEC, requesting that the defendants be held jointly and severally liable.

The legal dispute emerged amid Ike’s political ambition to contest for the House of Representatives seat representing AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in Abuja during the 2027 general elections under the platform of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC). He reportedly lost the party’s primary election.

However, Olayinka and INEC opposed the suit and urged the court to dismiss it. In its response, INEC argued that the information at the centre of the dispute did not constitute classified, sensitive or confidential material.

Olayinka also maintained that the information he shared on X was already in the public domain and had not been obtained through any unlawful means. He further argued that he owed Ike no duty of confidentiality regarding the information and did not require the actor’s consent to publish his name and passport photograph, which he said were publicly accessible.

The court ultimately dismissed the case, bringing a legal setback for Ike in his attempt to obtain ₦10 billion in damages over the alleged violation of his privacy rights.