The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the voter information at the center of a N10bn fundamental rights suit filed by Nollywood actor and House of Representatives aspirant, Emeka Ike, is neither classified nor confidential.
The commission argued that the information complained of is published in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and that it is constitutionally empowered to make voter information available to the public without seeking the consent of registered voters.
INEC stated this in a counter-affidavit deposed to by an Assistant Director and Data Protection Officer in its Legal Drafting and Clearance Department, Anthonia Makwe, in opposition to Ike’s suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026.
Ike had sued INEC and Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, alleging a breach of his fundamental right to privacy following the publication of his voter registration details on X. He is seeking N10bn in damages.
Through his lawyer, Leonard Adeh, the actor asked the court to declare that Olayinka’s publication of his voter database without his consent amounted to a violation of his right to privacy and personal data protection.
However, Olayinka, in a counter-affidavit filed by his counsel, Akpama Ekwe, maintained that the information he shared was already in the public domain and was not obtained unlawfully.
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He argued that the publication contained only Ike’s name and passport photograph, adding that he owed the applicant no duty of confidentiality.
According to him, a person seeking elective office cannot claim to have been traumatized by the circulation of information he voluntarily submitted as part of the electoral process and had already made public as a politician and public figure.
Olayinka also relied on Section 19, 1, of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to display and publish the voters’ register before a general election for public scrutiny.
INEC, in its response, said its statutory 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 Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
The commission further stated that the information complained of was not sensitive or confidential and that any document allegedly posted by Olayinka did not emanate from it.
It also denied breaching its duty to protect voters’ personal information, insisting that it had maintained the security of data under its custody.
When the matter came up on Tuesday, the trial judge adjourned proceedings until October 12, 2026, for hearing.
