Nollywood actor Emeka Ike has taken legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over alleged breach of personal data.
The case, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026 and was instituted on Monday, June 15.
The controversy began in May after Olayinka posted screenshots on his X page showing details of Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja.
The information, believed to have come from a restricted INEC administrative portal, was shared as Olayinka questioned whether the actor was qualified to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives in Abuja following his participation in recent party primary activities.
The post quickly generated reactions online, with many Nigerians accusing Olayinka of accessing a protected system meant exclusively for INEC officials.
In response to the uproar, INEC denied claims that its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database had been hacked or suffered a major security breach.
The commission explained that the leak resulted from the misuse of valid login credentials by authorised personnel rather than an external cyberattack.
The matter later drew the attention of investigators from the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), who reportedly questioned both Olayinka and an electoral officer over the alleged unauthorised release of voter information.
Emeka Ike, through his lawyer, Leonard Adeh, is asking the court to declare that Olayinka violated his constitutional right to privacy by publishing his voter information on social media without his consent.
According to the actor, his right to privacy and the protection of his personal data are guaranteed under 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.
He also argued that INEC has a legal responsibility to safeguard the personal information of voters and prevent unauthorised individuals from gaining access to such data.
Among the reliefs sought, Ike wants the court to hold INEC and Olayinka jointly responsible for the alleged breach of his privacy rights.
He is also seeking an order compelling Olayinka to remove the post containing his voter details from his X account and issue a written apology.
The actor further requested that the apology be published on Olayinka’s social media page as well as in three national newspapers — The Punch, The Nation and ThisDay — for two consecutive weeks.
Ike is also demanding N10 billion in aggravated and general damages from both defendants for what he described as a serious violation of his right to privacy and the unlawful exposure of his personal data.
“A DECLARATION that the Press release by INEC dated 2 June 2026, in reaction to the viral publication and circulation of the Applicant’s personal voter information and private data on the social media by the 1st Respondent (Olayinka), amounts to a tacit admission of guilt and liability to the Applicant, for failure to ensure strict protection, safety and security of the Applicant’s personal voter records and private data, statutorily under its care, custody and protection, which the 1st Respondent accessed, exploited and published on the social media in contravention of the Applicant’s fundamental right to privacy and the protection of personal data, respectively guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and sections 24 & 39 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023,” part of the suit reads.
“A DECLARATION that the 1st and 2nd Respondent (INEC) are jointly liable and responsible to the Applicant for breach and gross violation of the Applicant’s fundamental right to privacy and the protection of personal data, respectively guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and sections 24 & 39 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
“AN ORDER directing the 1st Respondent to immediately retract and pull down the offensive post and publication on his social media X handle, @OlayinkaLere, containing screenshots of the Applicant’s personal voter information and private data, unlawfully obtained from INEC’s restricted portal and secured database and to immediately tender an unreserved apology in writing, to the Applicant for the breach and violation of his fundamental right and publish same on the 1st Respondent’s social media X handle, @OlayinkaLere, and also published in three (3) National Daily Newspapers: (The Punch, The Nation and This day), to run consecutively for two (2) weeks, in order that the written apology shall be widely circulated and made to go viral, replicating the similar publicity and attention, the offensive post and publication by the 1st Respondent, received on his social media X handle and public space.
“N10,000,000,000.00 (TEN BILLION NAIRA) as aggravated and general damages, jointly and severally against the 1st and 2nd Respondents, in favour of the Applicant, for gross breach and violation of his fundamental right to privacy and the protection of personal data, respectively guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and sections 24 & 39 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.”
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