INEC Tells Court Emeka Ike’s Published Data Not Classified, Seeks Dismissal of N10bn Privacy Suit

• INEC tells the Federal High Court that the information published about Emeka Ike is neither classified nor confidential.
• The electoral body says voter register information can be displayed publicly under the Electoral Act 2026.
• The case, in which the actor is seeking N10 billion in damages, has been adjourned to October 12 for hearing.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the published data of Nollywood actor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) House of Representatives aspirant, Emeka Ike, was neither classified, sensitive nor confidential information.

INEC made the submission 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, in opposition to a suit filed by the actor.

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The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026, was instituted by Ike on June 15, 2026, against INEC and Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Through his counsel, Leonard Adeh, the actor is seeking N10 billion in damages for the alleged violation of his fundamental right to privacy, arguing that Olayinka unlawfully published his personal data on X without his consent.

In its response, INEC maintained that the information complained of was lawfully displayed and published in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and that it has the constitutional and statutory authority to make voter information available for public scrutiny.

The commission stated that its responsibilities include the compilation, maintenance, display, publication, certification and management of the register of voters in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the National Data Protection Act 2023.

According to the commission, “The issue complained of is not classified, sensitive nor confidential and such information is displayed and published in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026.”

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INEC further argued that the material allegedly posted by Olayinka did not originate from the commission and insisted that it has not breached its duty to safeguard personal voter information stored on its secured database.

Olayinka, in his own counter-affidavit filed through his counsel, Akpama Ekwe, argued that the information he published, which consisted of Emeka Ike’s name and passport photograph, was already in the public domain and was not obtained unlawfully.

He also contended that, having sought election into the House of Representatives and being a public figure, the applicant could not claim trauma over the publication of information already made public during the electoral process.

Citing Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, Olayinka argued that voter register information is legally displayed for public scrutiny before general elections and therefore does not constitute private data.

Justice hearing the matter adjourned the case until October 12, 2026, for hearing.