The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a ₦10 billion fundamental rights lawsuit filed by Nollywood actor Emeka Ike against Lere Olayinka, an aide to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Salim Ibrahim delivered the judgment on Wednesday, ruling that the case was improperly constituted and that the actor had failed to establish his claims.
The court upheld preliminary objections raised by the respondents and also dismissed the substantive suit for lack of sufficient proof.
How Emeka Ike’s Dispute With Wike’s Aide Began
The legal dispute followed a social media controversy involving Ike’s voter registration information and his political ambitions ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The actor had sought to contest the House of Representatives seat for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)/Bwari Federal Constituency under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
However, he was unsuccessful in the party’s primary election.
In May 2026, Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister, allegedly shared information concerning Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja on the social media platform X.
Ike maintained that the publication exposed his personal information without authorisation and violated his constitutional right to privacy.
The actor subsequently approached the Federal High Court, seeking legal remedies against Olayinka and INEC.
Actor Demands ₦10 Billion Over Alleged Privacy Violation
In the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026, filed through his lawyer, L. T. Adeh, Ike accused Olayinka of unlawfully publishing his voter registration details.
He argued that the alleged disclosure breached his right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and relevant provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
The actor also relied on Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in support of his claims.
Ike asked the court to hold that INEC had a legal responsibility to protect voters’ personal information from unauthorised access and disclosure.
He sought ₦10 billion in general and aggravated damages, asking that Olayinka and the electoral commission be held jointly responsible.
The actor further requested an order compelling Olayinka to remove the disputed publication from his X account, @OlayinkaLere.
He also demanded a written apology and a declaration that INEC’s June 2 statement concerning the controversy amounted to an acknowledgment of responsibility.
INEC Denies Breaching Voters’ Personal Data
INEC rejected the allegations and urged the court to dismiss the lawsuit.
In its response, the electoral commission argued that the information at the centre of the dispute was not classified or confidential in the manner alleged by Ike.
The commission maintained that electoral laws authorise it to compile, maintain and publish certain voter registration information as part of its statutory responsibilities.
Its position was presented in a counter-affidavit sworn by Anthonia Makwe, an Assistant Director and Data Protection Officer in INEC’s Legal Drafting and Clearance Department.
INEC also denied that the material allegedly circulated by Olayinka had originated from an unauthorised breach of its systems.
The commission insisted that it had not failed in its responsibility to protect personal information stored in its restricted databases.
It maintained that the relevant publication and disclosure obligations were governed by the Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2026, and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
Wike’s Aide Defends Social Media Publication
Olayinka also opposed the suit, arguing that the information he shared was already publicly accessible.
In his counter-affidavit, he maintained that the disputed material contained only Ike’s name and photograph and had not been obtained through unlawful access.
He argued that the actor’s public profile and participation in electoral politics meant that his name and photograph were already widely known.
Olayinka further maintained that the publication did not amount to a breach of any duty of confidentiality owed to Ike.
He referred to provisions of the Electoral Act concerning the public display of voter information and argued that the publication was intended to draw attention to Ike’s transfer of voter registration.
The FCT minister’s aide also alleged that the actor had participated in a disruption at an INEC office after announcing his political ambition.
That allegation formed part of Olayinka’s defence and was not established as a separate finding in the reported judgment.
Olayinka denied causing any legally recognisable injury to Ike and asked the court to reject the damages claim.
Court Upholds Objections, Rejects Damages Claim
After considering the parties’ submissions, Justice Ibrahim upheld the preliminary objections filed by Olayinka and INEC.
The judge found that the proceedings were improperly constituted and that the actor had not provided sufficient evidence to establish the alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
Consequently, the court dismissed the ₦10 billion claim and the other reliefs sought against the respondents.
The judgment brings the proceedings at the Federal High Court to an end, subject to any further legal steps the parties may decide to pursue.
The dispute has also drawn attention to the legal questions surrounding voter information, personal data protection and the publication of electoral records on social media.
Although electoral laws permit certain voter information to be publicly displayed, questions about the handling and disclosure of personal data remain subject to the applicable legal framework and the circumstances of each case.
