Voter Data Row: INEC Asks Court to Dismiss Emeka Ike’s N10bn Suit 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a N10 billion fundamental rights suit filed by Nollywood actor and House of Representatives aspirant, Emeka Ike, arguing that the voter information at the centre of the case is public information and not protected by confidentiality laws.

In court documents filed in response to the suit, INEC maintained that the publication of voter registration details is a statutory requirement under the Electoral Act 2026 and does not violate the constitutional right to privacy of registered voters.

The commission stated that it is legally empowered to compile, maintain, display and publish the national register of voters in line with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

The position was contained in a counter-affidavit deposed to by Anthonia Makwe, an Assistant Director and Data Protection Officer in INEC’s Legal Drafting and Clearance Department, in opposition to the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026.

Ike had dragged INEC and Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, before the court, alleging that the publication of his voter registration details on social media platform X breached his constitutional right to privacy and data protection.

Through his lawyer, Leonard Adeh, the actor is seeking a declaration that the publication of his voter information without his consent was unlawful, as well as N10 billion in damages.

However, Olayinka, through his counsel, Akpama Ekwe, urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the information he published was already in the public domain and was not obtained through unlawful means.

He maintained that the publication contained only Ike’s name and passport photograph, insisting that he owed the applicant no duty of confidentiality.

Olayinka further argued that a politician seeking elective office could not reasonably claim to have suffered trauma over the circulation of information voluntarily submitted as part of the electoral process.

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

INEC, in its response, also distanced itself from the document allegedly shared by Olayinka, insisting that it did not originate from the commission.

The electoral body further denied any breach of its obligation to safeguard personal information, maintaining that the voter data under its custody remains secure and that the information complained of does not constitute sensitive or classified data.

After hearing preliminary proceedings on Tuesday, the trial judge adjourned the matter until October 12, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.